"A small amount of these substances [chemical agents] (a few micrograms) are hence examined by the above-mentioned Institute… The substance itself is then immediately disposed of by the laboratory and is not stored anywhere, as was the case with the A230 substance. Therefore this substance could not have been misused. Yet, the MFA regards as the most important the fact that the nerve agent used in the UK attack has been designated as A234 and thus is of a different substance than that explored by the Czech Military Research Institute," the ministry said.
Czech President Milos Zeman said the day before that a small amount of the A230 toxin similar to Novichok was produced at the Czech Defense Ministry's Research Institute in 2017 and then destroyed.
NATO's position on the attack on ex-spy Sergei Skripal in the UK town of Salisbury is still based on London's assessment of Russia's "most likely" involvement in this incident, a NATO official told Sputnik.
"NATO's position is clear. It is based on the statement issued by the North Atlantic Council this past 14 March," the official, who asked to remain anonymous, said.
On March 4, the Skripals were poisoned in the UK city of Salisbury, sparking an international scandal. London accused Moscow of orchestrating the attack with what UK experts claim was the A234 nerve agent.
Moscow has repeatedly refuted the allegations and pointed to the lack of evidence provided by London.
