Another Russian poisoned in the UK ...

[Drummond]

Sounds like a slap on the wrist and some meaningless sanctions if it goes the NATO route.

Is it me, or does everyone else know NATO is about as pointless as it gets? Putin is hardly going to give a crap what NATO says.

NATO is one thought. Freezing the assets of Russian oligarchs, those in range of us, well, why not ? Then there's always the kicking out diplomats action ...

This might help ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-43380378

UK Prime Minister Theresa May is braced to take "extensive measures" against Russia should it not offer a credible explanation of how an ex-spy and his daughter were poisoned on British soil with a military-grade nerve agent.

"Should there be no credible response," Mrs May told parliament, "we will conclude that this action amounts to an unlawful use of force by the Russian state against the United Kingdom".

But what could the UK actually do - both on its own, and with the help of allies? And how likely are the US, EU and others to be on board?

Britain could expel Russian diplomats, as it did after the poisoning of former Russian Federal Security Service operative Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 with radioactive polonium.

But many argue that this, and the other measures that were taken after that killing - including visa restrictions on Russian officials - did not go far enough. The man identified as the main suspect, Andrei Lugovoi, is not just at large, he is now a Russian MP.

So what else could the UK do?

Expel senior diplomats, perhaps even the Russian ambassador, and known Russian intelligence agents

Take some sort of action to bar wealthy Russian oligarchs from accessing their mansions and other luxuries in London, as suggested by Tory MP and House of Commons foreign affairs committee chair Tom Tugendhat. One way this could happen is through the use of Unexplained Wealth Orders, which allow government officials to seize assets including property until they have been properly accounted for.

A boycott of the Fifa World Cup in Russia later this year by officials and dignitaries - a symbolic move that UK allies are unlikely to emulate.

Taking Russian broadcasters such as RT (formerly Russia Today) off the air - broadcasting regulator Ofcom has said it will "consider the implications for RT's broadcast licences" after Mrs May speaks on Wednesday.

Pass a British version of the 2012 US Magnitsky act, which punishes Russians involved in corruption and human rights violations with asset freezes and travel bans. It is named after a Russian lawyer who died in custody after revealing alleged fraud by state officials. MPs have been pushing for a Magnitsky amendment to be added to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill now going through Parliament.

For its part, Nato has called the attack "horrendous and completely unacceptable". Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the incident was of "great concern" to the alliance, which has moved in recent years to deter Russia by sending troops to Poland and the three Baltic states.

Lord Ricketts suggested one option involving Nato could be a reinforcement of resources on the group's eastern flank.

The UK could also seek to bring the issue to the UN - and seek to gather international support for action against Russia.

Theresa May has already spoken to France's President Macron and the two leaders "agreed that it would be important to continue to act in concert with allies", according to Downing Street. Although Mrs May has not yet spoken to President Trump about the case - there have been "conversations at a senior official level".

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders called the attack an "outrage" and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson went further, saying the attack "clearly came from Russia". President Donald Trump himself has not spoken out.

One interesting development: even the Labour Party has taken action, of a sort. I suppose it says much that people from that Party have, in the past, contributed to RT Today, an English language TV station aired here, & funded by the Kremlin (!!)

http://newspig.co.uk/labour-to-boyco...ohn-mcdonnell/

Labour’s Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has said he won’t be making any more appearances on Kremlin-sponsored TV station Russia Today.

He said RT’s coverage “goes beyond objective journalism” and it was “right”, after events in Salisbury, that Labour MPs did not appear on it.

He also backed visa sanctions against Russians suspected of corruption.

[aboutime]

Theresa May agrees with some of what President Trump stands for, and disagrees with some of it, too.

Mrs May is our Conservative Prime Minister. I grant you, she won't look much like one, compared to Trump. But I honestly think she does her best to advance a Conservative agenda, in a society which has gone much further down a Socialist road than the US has, to date.

We have our 'Brexit' to conclude ... our separation from the EU. Mrs May was a Conservative who personally voted to 'Remain' in the EU. Despite this ... she now leads the effort to get us the best trading deal possible with the EU to make our exit work as well for us as possible.

As a 'Remain' supporter, she could've done what Cameron before her did, and resign her job rather than respect the result of our Referendum. But she has done the opposite. The Referendum was never legally binding, yet, she's determined to respect the result of it, despite her own feelings about it.

My apologies. I guess I rather expected another Maggie Thatcher to be doing what she does best. Didn't mean to offend, or insult you. Guess I'm getting too political these days???

[Drummond]

We have "pot pie". Usually beef, chicken or turkey, with mixed vegetables and a broth, with a complete crust. Traditional American is apple and cherry. Pumpkin pie was probably the first. apple and cherry probably began as tarts. People here like stuff with enough sugar to rot your teeth out in a single bite. Coconut cream is my favorite. I stay strictly away from it.

We don't eat haggus though and I doubt you'll find anyone that will

Pot pie sounds like something I'd enjoy.

Haggis ... I've never tried it, either. If I was ever offered any, though, I'd not refuse it ...

[Drummond]

My apologies. I guess I rather expected another Maggie Thatcher to be doing what she does best. Didn't mean to offend, or insult you. Guess I'm getting too political these days???

There's nobody QUITE like Margaret Thatcher. I doubt we'll ever see anyone her equal emerge into British politics again.

Mrs May - operating, as she does, in a social climate strangled with political correctness, is one politician who favours cautious approaches. There are those even in her own Party who find it frustrating. But, I'm sure that she's fully up to the task of considerable toughness if she feels it's called for.

I think we'll see that for ourselves in the days ahead.

.. Balu's remarkably silent, isn't he ...... ?

[Gunny]

My apologies. I guess I rather expected another Maggie Thatcher to be doing what she does best. Didn't mean to offend, or insult you. Guess I'm getting too political these days???

Sounds to me like we need Wonder Woman She can fight while I drool

[Balu]

Russian Foreign Ministry slams UK PM’s comments on Skripal poisoning case

Russian Politics & Diplomacy
March 12, 21:01 UTC+3
Theresa May said it is "highly likely" that Russia is responsible for the poisoning of former intelligence Colonel Sergey Skripal and his daughter




© Alexander Scherbak/TASS




MOSCOW, March 12../TASS/. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has dubbed as a ‘circus show’ comments of UK Prime Minister Theresa May on the poisoning of Sergey Skripal, a former colonel in Russia’s GRU military intelligence, and his daughter.
"This is a circus show in Britain’s parliament," she stressed. "The conclusion is obvious - a next political media campaign based on provocation," Zakharova added.
Read also
Theresa May accuses Russia of involvement in ex-officer Skripal poisoning



Earlier, Theresa May said it is "highly likely" that Russia is responsible for the poisoning of Sergey Skripal and his daughter.

Moscow urges London to make public the results of the investigation into the deaths of Alexander Litvinenko and Boris Berezovsky, Zakharova said.

"Before making up new stories, let somebody in the Kingdom tell us what the previous fairy-tales ended in - those about Litvinenko, Berezovsky, Perepilichny and many others who died under mysterious circumstances on British soil," the diplomat said.
Former GRU Colonel Sergey Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter Julia on March 4 suffered from the effects of an unidentified nerve agent. They were found in an unconscious condition on a bench near The Maltings shopping center in Salisbury. Both are now in hospital in critical condition.
In 2004, Skripal was arrested by the federal security service FSB, charged, tried and convicted of high treason and stripped of all ranks and awards. In 2010 he was handed over to the United States under an arrangement to exchange persons arrested on spying charges. Later in the same year Skripal settled in Britain.
Read also

Putin advises Britons to get things clear with Skripal’s poisoning

Kremlin comments on ex-officer Skripal case

Embassy: Russian journalists in UK receive threats as police probe ex-spy's poisoning

Russia’s NTV correspondent in London receives threats over covering ex-spy poisoning







More:
http://tass.com/politics/993632

It is Highly Likely that MI-6 was engaged in this case and chemicals were stolen from stock 12 km next to place MI-6 poisoned their former and now useless worn out agent.
Another remarkable think - it took the British "specialists" A WEEK to "define" that the chemicals were of Russian origin. There are two ways - either they ARE NOT specialists, or they make fools of Brits and others.

[Drummond]

Russian Foreign Ministry slams UK PM’s comments on Skripal poisoning case

Russian Politics & Diplomacy
March 12, 21:01 UTC+3
Theresa May said it is "highly likely" that Russia is responsible for the poisoning of former intelligence Colonel Sergey Skripal and his daughter






© Alexander Scherbak/TASS




MOSCOW, March 12../TASS/. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has dubbed as a ‘circus show’ comments of UK Prime Minister Theresa May on the poisoning of Sergey Skripal, a former colonel in Russia’s GRU military intelligence, and his daughter.
"This is a circus show in Britain’s parliament," she stressed. "The conclusion is obvious - a next political media campaign based on provocation," Zakharova added.
Read also
Theresa May accuses Russia of involvement in ex-officer Skripal poisoning





Earlier, Theresa May said it is "highly likely" that Russia is responsible for the poisoning of Sergey Skripal and his daughter.

Moscow urges London to make public the results of the investigation into the deaths of Alexander Litvinenko and Boris Berezovsky, Zakharova said.

"Before making up new stories, let somebody in the Kingdom tell us what the previous fairy-tales ended in - those about Litvinenko, Berezovsky, Perepilichny and many others who died under mysterious circumstances on British soil," the diplomat said.
Former GRU Colonel Sergey Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter Julia on March 4 suffered from the effects of an unidentified nerve agent. They were found in an unconscious condition on a bench near The Maltings shopping center in Salisbury. Both are now in hospital in critical condition.
In 2004, Skripal was arrested by the federal security service FSB, charged, tried and convicted of high treason and stripped of all ranks and awards. In 2010 he was handed over to the United States under an arrangement to exchange persons arrested on spying charges. Later in the same year Skripal settled in Britain.
Read also

Putin advises Britons to get things clear with Skripal’s poisoning

Kremlin comments on ex-officer Skripal case

Embassy: Russian journalists in UK receive threats as police probe ex-spy's poisoning

Russia’s NTV correspondent in London receives threats over covering ex-spy poisoning









More:
http://tass.com/politics/993632

It is Highly Likely that MI-6 was engaged in this case and chemicals were stolen from stock 12 km next to place MI-6 poisoned their former and now useless worn out agent.
Another remarkable think - it took the British "specialists" A WEEK to "define" that the chemicals were of Russian origin. There are two ways - either they ARE NOT specialists, or they make fools of Brits and others.

This is the best you can do, Balu ?

All this rot you're giving us from the Russian side - dismissive of a so-called 'circus show' - addresses precisely NOTHING of what's happened.

A chemical weapon, of military grade, created in Russia, ONLY manufactured in Russia, was deployed in Salisbury. Twenty one people were affected by it, to varying degrees. The intended target of it is critically ill in hospital.

Tell me. If a Western power deployed a chemical weapon on the streets of Moscow, or any other city in Russia, how would YOU react to the officials of that Western power dismissing your outrage as 'A CIRCUS SHOW' ... ??

The facts, such as we know them, are damning. A military grade chemical, ONLY produced by Russia, was used in an assassination attempt. You cannot account for its use on British soil, can you ? All you can do is parrot a weak and derisory dismissal of them emanating from your Government.

Markov. Litvinenko. These are past examples of Russian assassinations on British soil. Now, we have this latest one. What would you have us do ... nothing, leaving your goons free to poison more people here as you see fit ?

Tyranny and murder. THESE are what you defend, Balu, IF you continue with your current line. To say nothing - considering the nature of the nerve agent used - of its terrorism aspect ... that of using a poison so toxic that it can have an effect on the surrounding environment, and surrounding population.

The nerve agent used was created and manufactured in Russia, AND NOWHERE ELSE. Explain its use in the UK.

[Gunny]

This is the best you can do, Balu ?

All this rot you're giving us from the Russian side - dismissive of a so-called 'circus show' - addresses precisely NOTHING of what's happened.

A chemical weapon, of military grade, created in Russia, ONLY manufactured in Russia, was deployed in Salisbury. Twenty one people were affected by it, to varying degrees. The intended target of it is critically ill in hospital.

Tell me. If a Western power deployed a chemical weapon on the streets of Moscow, or any other city in Russia, how would YOU react to the officials of that Western power dismissing your outrage as 'A CIRCUS SHOW' ... ??

The facts, such as we know them, are damning. A military grade chemical, ONLY produced by Russia, was used in an assassination attempt. You cannot account for its use on British soil, can you ? All you can do is parrot a weak and derisory dismissal of them emanating from your Government.

Markov. Litvinenko. These are past examples of Russian assassinations on British soil. Now, we have this latest one. What would you have us do ... nothing, leaving your goons free to poison more people here as you see fit ?

Tyranny and murder. THESE are what you defend, Balu, IF you continue with your current line. To say nothing - considering the nature of the nerve agent used - of its terrorism aspect ... that of using a poison so toxic that it can have an effect on the surrounding environment, and surrounding population.

The nerve agent used was created and manufactured in Russia, AND NOWHERE ELSE. Explain its use in the UK.

The kicker to all this? The russians are so arrogant they think no one can see through their grade school crap. I mean, really. Sneaking off to a foreign country to assassinate a dissident. Someone's been watching too many James Bond movies.

They really thought they could get away with it. THAT is the killer. It's like dealing with punks on a school yard. Or my granddaughter. "I didn't take the cookie. honest". "Really? Where'd that chocolate ring around your lips come from?"

[Drummond]

The kicker to all this? The russians are so arrogant they think no one can see through their grade school crap. I mean, really. Sneaking off to a foreign country to assassinate a dissident. Someone's been watching too many James Bond movies.

They really thought they could get away with it. THAT is the killer. It's like dealing with punks on a school yard. Or my granddaughter. "I didn't take the cookie. honest". "Really? Where'd that chocolate ring around your lips come from?"

To some extent, it's the British who need to take a measure of blame for such persistent arrogance from the Russians. Markov, Litvinenko ... cases such as this, along with any others ... our response to them in the past has been too weak. Litvnenko in particular involved a radioactive correlation to this latest incident. In that case, too, a poison which also contaminated the environment where it was used, ultimately killed Litvinenko. Yes, we reacted with outrage, but very little of real worth was done in response.

So, we see this happen all over again, only with a chemical agent instead.

The arrogance from the Russians is barely fathomable in other more decent, Western minds. The truth, I think, is that they don't really CARE if they're found out (.. otherwise, they'd use methods far less traceable back to them !). They truly think they can not only get away with anything, but even that they can justly take satisfaction from it.

Balu will no doubt look at the pictures I've posted below ... Litvinenko, on his death bed, jaundiced skin colour an effect of the poison used, and he WILL NOT CARE about the circumstances, or the crime committed (he may even shrug it off as 'mere Western propaganda'). If done by Mother Russia ... well, it can be dismissed, or denied, or derided, or whatever it takes to shrug off any semblance of culpability of his people or his Government.

Might Is Right. Never mind the horrors it leads to. Simply justify everything in terms of the power you can wield. And morality, decency, be damned.

Litvinenko, when healthy, and when dying of radiation poisoning ...




These others speak for themselves ...

[Drummond]

The latest ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43381880

Russia will not co-operate with the UK's inquiry into how an ex-spy and his daughter were poisoned until it has been given a sample of the substance used, its foreign minister has said.

Sergei Lavrov added that claims of Russian involvement were "rubbish".

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the "strength of the support" from other countries was encouraging.

US President Donald Trump said he would take Britain's assessment that Russia was behind the attack "as fact".

Mr Trump said he would be speaking to Theresa May later, adding: "It sounds to me they believe it was Russia base on all the evidence they have".

Answering a separate question by reporters, he added: "As soon as we get the facts straight, if we agree with them, we will condemn Russia or whoever it may be".

No cooperation from Russia, eh ? Wow. There's a surprise !!

Apparently they want a sample of the agent used ? Why ? To help replenish stocks ??

Let's say we gave them that sample. WHY would the Russian side ever admit it came from Russia ? What possible scenario would allow for Russia to now be completely truthful and candid with the world ?? Such behaviour comes from honourable people. The perpetrators of the Salisbury atrocity are definitely NOT honourable or decent !!

[Imagine Al Capone asking for evidence that one of his henchmen had perpetrated 'a hit'. The evidence is supplied. Would Capone then admit any liability ???]

I, personally, have no objection to us supplying that sample, purely for testing purposes, of course. But to expect Russia to fairly and truthfully respond to any such outcome is to be naive in the extreme. So to do so, surely, becomes a pointless exercise.

It's not even as though this is an isolated case ! Russia has a track record of these assassinations.

[mundame]

The latest ...

Apparently they want a sample of the agent used ? Why ? To help replenish stocks ??

Let's say we gave them that sample. WHY would the Russian side ever admit it came from Russia ? What possible scenario would allow for Russia to now be completely truthful and candid with the world ?? Such behaviour comes from honourable people. The perpetrators of the Salisbury atrocity are definitely NOT honourable or decent !!

[Imagine Al Capone asking for evidence that one of his henchmen had perpetrated 'a hit'. The evidence is supplied. Would Capone then admit any liability ???]

I, personally, have no objection to us supplying that sample, purely for testing purposes, of course. But to expect Russia to fairly and truthfully respond to any such outcome is to be naive in the extreme. So to do so, surely, becomes a pointless exercise.

Worse than pointless, perhaps. If the Russians are given a sample, what would they do with it? 1) delay for many weeks "comparing." 2) Say, oh, no, this is nothing like anything we have! Not ours. So sorry somebody did that to you. Glad we could clear that up!

No, I bet your government does not give them a sample to lie about.

Well, no more spy trades to London, presumably. Telling tales to NATO doesn't seem especially productive; NATO personnel has read all the papers and can't do anything anyway.

I think they should break off diplomatic relations with Russia and expel their personnel, but they probably won't go that far.

[Drummond]

Worse than pointless, perhaps. If the Russians are given a sample, what would they do with it? 1) delay for many weeks "comparing." 2) Say, oh, no, this is nothing like anything we have! Not ours. So sorry somebody did that to you. Glad we could clear that up!

No, I bet your government does not give them a sample to lie about.

Well, no more spy trades to London, presumably. Telling tales to NATO doesn't seem especially productive; NATO personnel has read all the papers and can't do anything anyway.

I think they should break off diplomatic relations with Russia and expel their personnel, but they probably won't go that far.

They'd probably do both .. delay, then deny it was anything that they'd produced. Russia would gain advantages from a delay .. they could work behind the scenes to try to lessen diplomatic opposition to them .. they could make us all wait until after their 'elections' are finished .. and hope also in the meantime that the level of outrage felt would've itself lessened.

They may even complain that the sample given to them was of too poor a quality to determine anything from it.

As for possible action Russia can look forward to .. the usual diplomat chucking-out exercise is a foregone conclusion. They could ALL be ordered off of our territory. But, more, certain mega-rich Russians have assets tied up here. We could order them frozen, I think. No doubt any Russian thus affected would express his personal displeasure to Putin in ways he'd not appreciate !

No doubt, also, we could arrange sanctions against Russian trade.

I understand the Russians have promised us 'consequences' should we conclusively blame them. How jolly of them ... poisoned umbrellas at dawn, perhaps ?

[Drummond]

Ah, here we are. The threat of consequences will follow if we take any punitive measures against Russia. Or to put it another way ... they want to bully us into inaction. Back, in other words, to the old status quo ... where, a handful of years from now, we have our next Russian assassination and environmental clean-up to undertake (hopefully, not resulting in deaths of our own people along the way ...).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43390885

The UK's threat of "punitive" measures against Russia over the poisoning of a former spy and his daughter will "meet with a response", Russia has said.

Russia's UK embassy posted a series of tweets as a deadline looms for it to explain how a Russian-made nerve agent was used in Salisbury.

It said there would be no reply to the "ultimatum" until it was given access to samples of the substance.

No 10 said Donald Trump has told the PM the "US was with the UK all the way".

In a telephone conversation, the US president agreed with Theresa May that the Russian government "must provide unambiguous answers as to how this nerve agent came to be used" against Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, on 4 March. Downing Street added.

The PM has said it is "highly likely" Russia was involved in the poisoning and the UK must "stand ready" to take action.

She said details would be set out in the Commons on Wednesday should there be no "credible" explanation by midnight on Tuesday from Moscow.

[Gunny]

They'd probably do both .. delay, then deny it was anything that they'd produced. Russia would gain advantages from a delay .. they could work behind the scenes to try to lessen diplomatic opposition to them .. they could make us all wait until after their 'elections' are finished .. and hope also in the meantime that the level of outrage felt would've itself lessened.

They may even complain that the sample given to them was of too poor a quality to determine anything from it.

As for possible action Russia can look forward to .. the usual diplomat chucking-out exercise is a foregone conclusion. They could ALL be ordered off of our territory. But, more, certain mega-rich Russians have assets tied up here. We could order them frozen, I think. No doubt any Russian thus affected would express his personal displeasure to Putin in ways he'd not appreciate !

No doubt, also, we could arrange sanctions against Russian trade.

I understand the Russians have promised us 'consequences' should we conclusively blame them. How jolly of them ... poisoned umbrellas at dawn, perhaps ?

Consequences if you conclusively blame them, huh? They must have gotten ALL their lines from b gangster movies.

They said on the news it was a neurotoxin developed during the 70s by the Soviets. Their whole deal sounds like something out of Kruschev's book.

[Gunny]

March 13, 2018
By Guy Faulconbridge and Michael Holden
LONDON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May agreed on Tuesday that Russia must provide “unambiguous answers” after London gave Moscow until midnight to explain how a Soviet-era nerve weapon was used against a former Russian double agent.
May, who said on Monday it was “highly likely” that Russia was behind the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter, also won support from Britain’s main European allies and the European Union, which denounced the attack as “shocking” and offered help to track down those responsible.
Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary-General of the U.S.-led NATO alliance, said the attack was “horrendous”.
Russia, however, signalled there was little likelihood that it would respond adequately to London’s call for a credible explanation by Wednesday.
Denying it had played any part in the attack, which left the 66-year-old Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia fighting for their lives, Russia said it would ignore the ultimatum until London handed over samples of the nerve agent used and complied with international obligations for joint investigations of such incidents.
“Any threats to take ‘sanctions’ against Russia will not be left without a response,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement. “The British side should understand that.”
Russia holds a presidential election on Sunday in which Vladimir Putin, himself a former KGB spy, is expected to coast to a fourth term in the Kremlin.
Skripal, a former officer with Russian military intelligence, betrayed dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence before being arrested in Moscow and jailed in 2006.
He was released under a spy swap deal in 2010 and took refuge in Britain, where he had been living quietly in the cathedral city of Salisbury until he and his daughter were found unconscious on a public bench there on March 4.
A British policeman who was also affected by the nerve agent is now conscious in a serious but stable condition.
LETHAL NERVE AGENT
May said on Monday Britain had identified the substance as belonging to the lethal Novichok group of nerve agents developed by the Soviet military in the 1970s and 1980s.
She and her ministers say Britain will take further “robust” punitive action against Russian interests – beyond sanctions already in place – if Putin does not come up with a credible explanation of events.
Trump’s endorsement of Britain’s tough line, made during a phone call with May, came on the heels of messages of solidarity from France’s President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. They gave the British prime minister additional hope of marshalling Western backing for her government as it heads towards a showdown with Putin.
“President Trump agreed with Prime Minister May that the Government of the Russian Federation must provide unambiguous answers regarding how this chemical weapon, developed in Russia, came to be used in the United Kingdom,” the White House said in a statement about the two leaders’ phone call.
“The two leaders agreed on the need for consequences for those who use these heinous weapons in flagrant violation of international norms,” it said.
May’s spokesman said Trump had said the United States was “with the U.K. all the way”.
If no satisfactory Russian response is received by midnight London time May is likely to outline Britain’s response in parliament on Wednesday.
It remains to be seen how much of a rupture in relations with Russia May’s government is prepared to envisage.
While trade figures show Russia accounts for less than 1 percent of British imports, London is of major importance for Russian companies seeking to raise capital and since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union has become the Western capital of choice for many Russian business leaders.
Britain could call on allies for a coordinated Western response, freeze the assets of Russian business leaders and officials, expel diplomats or launch targeted cyber attacks. It may also cut back participation in the soccer World Cup which Russia is hosting in June and July.
Russia Today, a round-the-clock news network that is funded by Putin’s government, could lose its licence to broadcast in Britain if May’s government determined that Moscow was behind the attack, Britain’s media regulator said.
This report drew a swift response from Russia. “Not a single British media outlet will work in our country if they shut down Russia Today (RT),” the state-run RIA news agency cited Maria Zakharova as saying on state television.
The expression of solidarity from the EU came despite tensions over British preparations to quit the bloc next year.
The EU has already imposed travel restrictions and asset freezes against 150 people and 38 companies in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. EU nationals and companies are also banned from buying or selling new bonds or equity in some state-owned Russian banks and major Russian energy companies.
But diplomats in Brussels said that, despite sharing Britain’s anger, the bloc was unlikely to have much stomach for imposing additional sanctions on Russia since attributing the nerve attack to Moscow was difficult and keeping existing economic sanctions going was proving a strain.
(Reporting by Robin Emmott, Alastair Macdonald and Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels, John Irish in Paris, Andreas Rinke, Andrea Shalal in Berlin, Doina Chiacu in Washington, Andrew Osborn and Andrey Ostroukh in Moscow; Writing By Richard Balmforth; Editing by Janet Lawrence and Gareth Jones)

http://www.oann.com/putin-faces-brit...-double-agent/

If nothing else, you got Quickdraw McGraw on your side