May Plans Russia Reprisal for Ex-Spy Poisoning as Deadline Looms

U.K. PM gives Russia until midnight Tuesday to explain attack
‘Novichok’ nerve agent developed in Russian laboratories

Former U.K. Ambasasdor to Russia Roderic Lyne discusses possible retaliation by the U.K. against Russia.(Source: Bloomberg)

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By Tim Ross, Robert Hutton, and Jess Shankleman

March 12, 2018 at 5:22 PM UTC

Updated on

March 13, 2018 at 9:24 AM UTC

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Prime Minister Theresa May’s Cabinet meets this morning to discuss how to strike back at Russia over the poisoning of a former spy on British soil, ahead of a midnight deadline for the Kremlin to explain the attack.

In a dramatic statement to Parliament Monday, May announced that Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia had been poisoned more than a week ago with a “military grade” nerve agent known as “Novichok” developed by Russia, and warned of retaliatory measures. The premier holds talks with ministers at 9:30 a.m. in London, after which Home Secretary Amber Rudd chairs the Cobra emergency committee on developments in the case.