Press release on a joint briefing by Russian Foreign Ministry, Defence Ministry and Ministry of Industry and Trade in connection with the “Skripal case”

On March 21, the Foreign Ministry, the Defence Ministry and the Ministry of Industry and Trade held a joint briefing at the level of directors of the three ministries’ specialised departments for the foreign ambassadors accredited to Russia. They explained the Russian Federation’s position in connection with the absolutely unjustified inciting of tension around the March 4, 2018 incident in Salisbury, the United Kingdom, on the international scene and in media outlets

The participants turned down groundless accusations still being voiced against Russia by the British side and its allies.

They expressed serious concern over the absence of information about the condition of Yulia Skripal and her father.

They also noted the following aspects.

The Russian side completely disclosed its chemical weapons stockpiles under Article III of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction. The entire Russian chemical arsenal was completely eliminated on September 27, 2017, as confirmed by an authorised international agency, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) that consists of 192 member-states, including the United Kingdom.

The Russian Federation being groundlessly accused by the United Kingdom of using the Novichok nerve gas, as it is known in the West, has never manufactured, stockpiled or adopted it.

Although the British side has created an extremely unhealthy situation around the “Skripal case,” Russia confirmed its readiness for open and constructive cooperation with the United Kingdom, in line with the OPCW regulations and under other international treaties and agreements that might apply to the investigation of the Salisbury incident.

Russia unfailingly honours all its international obligations. We insistently and consistently advocate efforts to strengthen international peace and security, and we strive to resolve any situations, even the most difficult ones, through dialogue and cooperation.

The briefing’s material is posted on the Ministry’s website.