Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly calling for a thorough investigation into last month’s nerve agent attack on a former Russian double agent in Britain.
During a visit to Ankara on Tuesday, Putin referenced remarks from the chief executive of Britain’s Defense Science and Technology Laboratory, who said the center hasn’t identified the “precise source” of the nerve agent, but did identify it as Novichok.
Putin is demanding Moscow play a role in an investigation, the Associated Press reported.
Sergei Skripal, the former Russian double agent, and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, were poisoned last month and found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury, England.
Putin said that, due to the lack of information about where the nerve agent originated, “the speed at which the anti-Russian campaign has been launched causes bewilderment.”
The British government concluded the military-grade nerve agent was of the kind developed by Russia and blamed Russia for the attack. Moscow, though, has denied any involvement, and Putin said the poison could’ve been developed in 20 other nations, according to the Associated Press.
In response to the poisoning, the U.S. expelled 60 Russian diplomats identified by the Trump administration as spies. Western countries have collectively expelled more than 150 Russian officials.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced last month 60 U.S. officials were being expelled from Russia.
