Moscow Calls UK "Proof" of Russia's Culpability in Skripal Case 'Global Fake'

On London's Presentation

London's "ample proof" of Russia's involvement in Skripal's poisoning, which was distributed by the British embassy, is a total global fake, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said.

READ MORE: British Police Say Poisoned Spy Came Into Contact With Nerve Agent at Home

"Now as the whole world has seen the 'ample evidence' through a propaganda machine, through unnamed sources, through experts and fake accounts in the social media, information has begun to spread that the main and this time undisputable accusations were allegedly voiced by the UK ambassador to Russia during his briefing. I'm even afraid to assume what this undisputable proof of Russia's involvement is, which our British colleagues didn't dare to present to the representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry, who were not invited to this closed briefing," Zakharova added.

Earlier in the day, the spokeswoman noted that the presentation on the Skripal case given to British diplomats at a briefing in the UK Embassy in Moscow was "chaotic and incoherent" and looked like a presentation made by primary school children. She pointed out that the presentation mentioned neither the formula of the substance used to poison Skripal, nor the number of people involved in the attack.

The abovementioned PowerPoint presentation was obtained by the Russian newspaper Kommersant. The media reports that the presentation consists of six slides, the first of which is titled "Incident in Salisbury." The newspaper notes that the presentation doesn't provide new information on the Skripal case, with the only slight difference that Moscow's "highly likely" involvement turned into involvement "without any doubt."

READ MORE: Erdogan Confirms Turkey Won't Send Russian Diplomats Out Amid Skripal Case Craze

On Skripal Case Investigation

London is not responding to Moscow's constructive offers to work together on the investigation into the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in the UK city of Salisbury, Maria Zakharova said.

READ MORE: How Russian Diplomats' Expulsion Over Skripal Case Exposes Europe's Split

The spokeswoman stressed that Russia had repeatedly offered to cooperate with London on the Skripal investigation, adding that the UK has still not allowed Russia to access either Skripal or his daughter Yulia, who remain hospitalized.

"The United Kingdom is therefore openly and shamelessly breaching international legal norms, particularly the Consular Convention of 1968 between the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union," the spokeswoman noted.

Article 36 of this convention states that a consular officer is entitled to meet with and assist any citizen of their country.

Zakharova went on saying that the United Kingdom had been repeatedly demonstrated its neglect of the legal norms.

Previously, Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov noted that Moscow had a legitimate right to access all the facts and documents connected with the investigation, since one of the victims is Skripal's daughter Yulia, a Russian citizen. He also stressed that the UK's obligations under the Convention for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons imply that if there are any suspicions that a poisonous substance prohibited by the Convention was used, then the state suspected of producing it needs to be contacted, since this state has the right to receive access to the substance in order to analyze it on its own. However, Moscow has not received any requests of this kind from London.

Ex-GRU colonel Sergei Skripal, who worked for the British intelligence services, and his daughter were poisoned in the British city of Salisbury on March 4. London accuses Russia of being behind the attack and claims that the poisonous substance was developed in the Soviet Union.

Russia has vehemently denied the British accusations and offered assistance in the probe, requesting the samples of the chemical substance used to poison Skripal for examination. However, the UK rejected Moscow's demands.

On UK Pressure on Partners

The spokeswoman stressed that the countries which did not yield to the pressure from the British and Americans "demonstrated a responsible approach to the international legal norms."

The United States and Great Britain exerted intolerable pressure on the EU countries over Skripal's poisoning, Zakharova said.

"We understand what huge pressure London and Washington — now we have no doubt that these actions synchronized  — have been exerting on their partners," she noted.

Earlier, Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl revealed that London exerted pressure on Vienna as the British ambassador to Austria repeatedly pried Vienna because of the Austrian side's refusal to expel Russian diplomats in connection with the Skripal poisoning.

After blaming Russia for the poisoning, UK Prime Minster Theresa May announced on March 14 that 23 Russian diplomats would be removed from the UK.

Following May's action nearly 30 countries followed London's lead and expelled Russian diplomats after the European foreign ministers expressed the EU's "unqualified solidarity" with the UK and its support, including for the UK’s efforts to bring those responsible for this crime to justice.