Russia's UK diplomat expulsion 'doesn't change facts of matter' says May

UK, 18 Mar 2018 [Fik/News Sources]: Russia expelled 23 British diplomats as ties continue to worsen between the two countries after Sergei Skripal and his daughter were targeted with a nerve agent on UK soil.

The move comes in retaliation for Britain's decision to kick out 23 Russians, who Prime Minister Theresa May says were spies working under diplomatic cover.

Those now named by Moscow must leave within a week.

On Saturday, Theresa May said that Russia's expulsion of 23 British diplomats "doesn't change the facts of the matter" of the poisoning of a former double agent in an English city.

Russia was "in flagrant breach of international law," she told her Conservative Party's spring forum, adding that Britain "will consider our next steps in the coming days".

"Russia's response doesn't change the facts of the matter - the attempted assassination of two people on British soil, for which there is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian State was culpable," she said.

May blames Russia for the nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury on March 4, which has left them both fighting for their lives.

She warned that Britain "will never tolerate a threat to the life of British citizens and others on British soil from the Russian government."

But she said Britain had "no disagreement with the Russian people".