Poisoning of Alexey Navalny: Russian ambassador summoned to the FCDO
The Russian ambassador to the UK was summoned to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office today (7 September 2020).
A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office spokesperson said:
Today the Russian Ambassador to the UK was summoned to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. The UK government registered its deep concern with the Russian Government about the poisoning of Alexey Navalny with a chemical nerve agent from the Novichok group.
The Foreign Secretary has made it clear that it is absolutely unacceptable that a banned chemical weapon has been used, and that violence has again been directed against a leading Russian opposition figure. There is a case here for Russia to answer. This took place on Russian soil, against a Russian citizen. They have international obligations to uphold. This is nothing short of an attack against the rules based international system which keeps our societies safe.
Russia needs to conduct a full, transparent criminal investigation into Mr Navalny’s poisoning. We will work with our partners, including through action in the OPCW, to hold the perpetrators to account.