THE COLD ALLIANCE
Royal Navy submarine smashes through Arctic ice as world leaders unite behind Theresa May to blast ‘Vladimir Putin’s nerve agent attack’
THE West stood on the brink of a new Cold War last night as it united behind Theresa May in condemning Russia for its chemical weapon “assault on UK sovereignty”.
Donald Trump for the first time publicly blamed Russia for the Salisbury nerve agent attack as Downing Street engaged in a frantic round of global diplomacy.
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The US then joined the UK, Germany and France in a statement blasting “the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the Second World War”. Meanwhile it emerged a Royal Navy submarine had smashed through Arctic ice for the first time in over a decade in a show of force.
Speaking in the White House, President Trump said “it certainly looks” as if Russia was behind the attempt to kill ex-double agent Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33.
He added: “I spoke with the Prime Minister, we are in deep discussions, it’s a very sad situation.”
The joint statement read: “This use of a military grade nerve agent constitutes the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the Second World War. It is an assault on UK sovereignty. It threatens the security of us all.”
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It added: “The United Kingdom briefed thoroughly its allies that it was highly likely that Russia was responsible for the attack.
“We share the UK assessment that there is no plausible alternative explanation.”
The united front came after the PM on Wednesday gave 23 Russian spies a week to pack their bags.
That was in response to chemical experts at the Porton Down military lab near Salisbury, Wilts, tracing the Novichok used in the attack to the Kremlin.
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Downing Street confirmed it was now in talks to send a sample to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in the Hague. And sources claimed a further round of sanctions could be next once that lab confirms the tests.
On a visit to Salisbury yesterday, Mrs May said: “There will be other measures we will be taking, looking at extra powers that we can take in relation to hostile state activity.”
Donald Trump says 'it looks like' Russia was behind the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and daughter in Salisbury
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Last night Britain’s National Security Adviser Mark Sedwill told a Nato meeting in Brussels: “What happened in Salisbury was the latest in a clear pattern of reckless and unlawful behaviour by the Russian state, and concerns the whole alliance.”
Russia branded the British response “insane” and said it “would not take long to respond”.
Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov called UK action “irresponsible” and a “provocation” against Russia. But Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson hit back, saying: “Frankly, Russia should go away, it should shut up.”
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BID TO HACK US ENERGY
THE US slapped fresh financial sanctions on Russia yesterday – after revealing that its hackers were trying to crack into America’s energy grid.
Donald Trump’s administration warned that Moscow was targeting the country’s energy systems with computer malware, in an effort to sabotage it.
Russian hackers had also affected the US nuclear, aviation, water, construction and manufacturing sectors in a sustained attack.
America punished Moscow “trolls” yesterday for interfering in the US presidential election, as well as the Kremlin-backed organisations which supported them. Last month, 13 Russians were charged with meddling in the 2016 vote — to help Donald Trump and hurt rival Hillary Clinton.
Sanctions were also imposed in retaliation for a June 2017 cyberattack against Ukraine and other countries that officials characterised as “the most destructive and costly” in history.
He denied there was already a new Cold War, but added: “Relations ain’t good are they?
“It is often described as a cool war that we are entering into. I would say it’s feeling exceptionally chilly at the moment.”
Using some of the strongest terms yet, he called the attack “absolutely atrocious and outrageous”.
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He said of the Porton Down scientists: “Their knowledge, their expertise, so clearly points to one direction you really do have to be a conspiracy theorist of the wildest kind to believe that there is anything other than fact about the statement that Russia has done this.”
America dramatically upped the pressure on Putin last night by imposing sanctions of its own over Russian interference with the 2016 Presidential election, and over cyber attacks on US energy, nuclear aviation and manufacturing sectors.
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MOST READ IN NEWS
In the Arctic Ocean, nuclear- powered hunter killer HMS Trenchant broke through metre-thick ice during a five-week war games exercise with two US subs.
Sources last night confirmed the move was designed to demonstrate to Russia that Britain still retained lethal Cold War skills. Britain, the US and Russia are the only nations in the world which can operate submarines under the ice.
BORIS: SARKY PUTIN
VLADIMIR Putin ordered the Salisbury attack to show dissidents what happens if they “stand up” to Russia, Boris Johnson declared yesterday.
The Foreign Secretary slated the “smug sarcasm” shown by the Russians since PM Theresa May first pointed the finger of blame at Moscow. He accused Putin of “glorying” in the brazen bid to kill ex-spy Sergei Skripal.
He added: “The message is clear: We will find you, we will catch you, we will kill you. And though we will deny it with lip-curling scorn, the world will know beyond doubt that Russia did it.”
Mr Johnson insisted the Prime Minister had “eviscerated” Russia’s intelligence capabilities in the UK by expelling 23 agents.
He said: “It will degrade their intelligence capabilities in this country for decades to come.”
PM Theresa May announces expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats and calls nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal 'unlawful use of force'
HERO’S CARS TAKEN AWAY
TWO cars belonging to Det Sgt Nick Bailey and his wife Sarah were last night removed from outside their house.
A cordon was set up round the Alderholt property, a 20-minute drive from Salisbury, Wilts, where the cop tried to save poisoned Sergei Skripal and daughter Yulia on March 4.
A vehicle belonging to a senior military officer was also removed from barracks at nearby Larkhill. It is thought it had been parked close to Sergei Skripal’s maroon BMW.
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