British Prime Minister Theresa May today expelled 23 diplomats and suspended high-level contacts with Russia including for the World Cup, saying her government found Moscow "culpable" of a nerve agent attack on a former spy.
May said she would be pushing for a "robust international response" when the UN Security Council meets later Wednesday in New York to discuss the attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter on March 4.
Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement and its London embassy warned that May's response was "totally unacceptable and shortsighted".
May told parliament that Russia had failed to respond to her demand for an explanation on how a Soviet-designed chemical, Novichok, was used in the English city of Salisbury.
"There is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian State was culpable for the attempted murder of Mr Skripal and his daughter," she said.
"This represents an unlawful use of force by the Russian State against the United Kingdom."
Source: Agencies