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Russia has summoned the British ambassador in Moscow after it was accused of carrying out a nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal , according to Russian news agencies.
The foreign ministry was quoted as saying Laurie Bristow must visit the ministry later on Tuesday.
However, a spokesman for the British embassy in Russia said Mr Bristow was not summoned but instead had a pre-planned meeting with Russia's deputy foreign minister, Vladimir Titov.
It comes after the Russia's foreign minister told Theresa May it “is not to blame” for the attack in Salisbury.
Sergei Lavrov said Moscow had demanded access to samples of the military-grade nerve agent.
He said the British government had refused to provide access to materials and samples related to the case.
On Monday, Theresa May told Parliament that Russia is "highly likely" to blame for poisoning Mr Skripal and his daughter with a military-grade nerve agent.
The Prime Minister said Russia has until the end of Tuesday to explain how the substance ended up in Britain.
Show all 15 1 /15Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Scene of attack Members of the emergency services in hazard suits fix the tent over the bench where Sergei and Yulia Skripal were found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury in March 2018.
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Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Victim - Sergei Skripal The retired Russian colonel and former double agent for MI6 was in a critical condition in hospital for more than two months after being exposed to novichok in Salisbury. He was given refuge in the UK after being jailed in Moscow for treason. Mr Skripal came to Britain as part of a high-profile “spy swap” in 2010 in which four men were exchanged for ten Russian "sleeper agents" in the US. In this image he is speaking to his lawyer from behind bars in Moscow in 2006.
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Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Victim - Yulia Skripal Yulia Skripal was struck down by a novichok poison alongside her father Sergei.
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Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Scene of attack A police officer stands guard outside a branch of the Italian chain restaurant Zizzi where the pair dined at before falling ill. It was boarded off whilst investigators worked on the building and later found traces of the chemical weapon within it.
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Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Scene of attack Large areas of central Salisbury were cordoned off by police following the discovery of the Skripals. Traces of nerve agent were also found in The Mill pub.
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Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Victim - Nick Bailey Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, rushed to the aid of the Russian ex-spy and his daughter who were targeted with a nerve agent. He was hospitalized after aiding them and didn't leave until three weeks after the attack.
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Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Police investigation - Skripal’s home Police believe they were poisoned at home, and detectives found the highest concentration of novichok on the front door of Mr Skripal’s house.
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Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Theresa May visits scene of attack Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May spokes with Wiltshire Police's Chief Constable Kier Pritchard near where the Skripal's were found. Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats over the nerve agent poisoning and suspended high-level contacts, including for the World Cup on March 14. Theresa 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 Salisbury.
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Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Skripal days before attack Sergei Skripal days before he was exposed to Novichok, that has left him fighting for life.
ITV News
Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Police investigation - military involvement British soldiers were deployed soon after the attack to help a counter-terrorism investigation into the nerve agent attack. One of the places they were asked to help out with was Skripal's home and it's surrounding. They were asked to remove a vehicle connected to the agent attack in Salisbury, from a residential street in Gillingham.
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Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Police investigation Personnel in protective coveralls and breathing equipment cover an ambulance with a tarpaulin at the Salisbury District Hospital.
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Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Police investigation The investigation extended to the grave of Sergei Skripal's son Alexander in London Road cemetery.
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Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Police investigation The Counter Terrorism Policing Network requested assistance from the military to remove a number of vehicles and objects from Salisbury.
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Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Home Secretary visits scene of attack Home Secretary Amber Rudd visited the scene of the nerve agent attack at the Maltings shopping centre on 9 March.
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Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Yulia Skripal speaks for the first time Yulia Skripal, speaking for the first time, said she felt lucky to have survived the nerve agent attack in Salisbury which left her fighting for life. Ms Skripal said her life had been “turned upside down” by the assassination attempt. But the Russian national added she hoped to return to her homeland one day, despite the Kremlin being blamed for the attack.
Reuters
The police and MI5 will look into allegations of Russian state involvement in a string of deaths on UK soil , the Government announced.
The announcement by the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, followed reports claiming US intelligence sources suspect as many as 14 people may have been assassinated in Britain by Russia's security services or mafia groups.
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