First offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the WW2 : U.S., France, Germany, Britain blame Russia for spy's poisoning

The United States, Britain, France and Germany jointly blamed the Russian government Thursday for the near-fatal poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter nearly two weeks ago.


In a statement, the four countries said "there is no plausible alternative explanation" to the attack -- which was supposedly the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since World War II.

Accusations have been growing against Moscow over the March 4 attack, in which former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter were targeted by a nerve agent in a British shopping district. The pair remain hospitalized in critical condition.

"This use of a military-grade nerve agent, of a type developed by Russia, constitutes the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the Second World War. It is an assault on the United Kingdom's sovereignty and any such use by a state party is a clear violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and a breach of international law," the statement said. "It threatens the security of us all."

The statement follows a midnight deadline Wednesday for Russia to answer the accusations, imposed by British Prime Minister Theresa May. Moscow did not address the matter before the deadline.
 (UPI)
 15/3/18
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Related:

• Corbyn challenges May's 'evidence' of Russian ‘culpability’ in ex-spy poisoning
• UK expels 23 Russian diplomats over nerve agent attack
• Russia: UK should probe Skripal case, not make claims
• Londres promet une réponse "ferme" après l'empoisonnement présumé d'un ex-espion russe

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***Voilà l'homme tout entier, s'en prenant à sa chaussure alors que c'est son pied le coupable. Ca devient inquiétant. Un des larrons fut sauvé. C'est un pourcentage honnête.