Russia Spy Attack: Britain says Russian President Putin's actions 'tragic'

Britain has no quarrel with the people of Russia but it is tragic that Russian President Vladimir Putin has chosen to act in such a way, British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Wednesday as she accused Moscow of being responsible for the poisoning of a former spy in England.

"We have no disagreement with the people of Russia... It is tragic that President Putin has chosen to act in this way," May told parliament.

"We will not tolerate the threat to life of British people and others on British soil from the Russian government, nor will we tolerate such a flagrant breach of Russia's international obligations." 

Britain has braced for a showdown with Russia on Wednesday after a midnight deadline set by Prime Minister Theresa May expired without an explanation from Moscow about how a Soviet-era nerve toxin was used to strike down a former Russian double agent.

The United States, European Union and NATO voiced support for Britain after May said it was "highly likely" that Russia was behind the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter with Novichok, a nerve agent developed by the Soviet military.

Russia, which denied any involvement, said it was not responding to May's ultimatum until it received samples of the nerve agent, in effect challenging Britain to show what sanctions it would impose against Russian interests.

MILITARY-GRADE NERVE AGENT"

Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, were found slumped unconscious on a bench outside a shopping centre in the genteel southern English city of Salisbury on March 4. They have been in a critical condition in hospital ever since.

British scientists identified the poison as a military-grade nerve agent from a group of chemicals known as Novichok, first developed in the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 1980s.

May said either the Russian state had poisoned Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer, or Russia had somehow lost control of its chemical weapons. Putin said last year that it had destroyed its last stockpiles of such weapons.

A Russian chemist who helped develop the nerve agent said only the Russian government could have carried out the attack.