Skripal
© REUTERS/ Peter Nicholls
Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Alexander Yakovenko on Sunday said that the so-called Skripal case is a false flag operation conducted by the UK secret services.

"This provocation has been carried out by UK secret services. We are not provided with any facts, they refuse to cooperate with us. Such a state of affairs brings us to the judgement that it is a provocation organized by secret services," Yakovenko told the NTV broadcaster.

The diplomat said that the provocation has been caused by two reasons, including the need to hide the fact that London had accepted almost all the conditions laid down by Brussels in the Brexit talks. The second reason is the intention to be a leader in the so-called deterrence of Russia and the need to gain the support of both parliament and people.

Skripal, a former Russian intelligence officer, who also worked for UK intelligence, and his daughter Yulia have been in the hospital since March 4 due to exposure to what UK experts say is the A234 nerve agent. The Salisbury District Hospital medical staff said that Yulia had come out of a coma, began talking and was recovering rapidly, while her father, former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, was still in a critical but stable condition.

Following the poisoning, UK Prime Minister Theresa May accused Russia of orchestrating the attack and expelled 23 Russian diplomats. Several other countries also expelled Russian diplomats in solidarity with London.

Russia has strongly rejected the accusations voiced by UK officials and offered to assist in the investigation. Following the decision of several countries to expel diplomats, Moscow has responded to the expulsions by taking reciprocal measures with regard to the states that expelled Russian diplomats.