Russia was behind the
Salisbury nerve agent attack on
Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, the US has confirmed this evening.
The US blamed the attack on Vladimir Putin and said they would be issuing fresh sanctions in response to the deadly attack.
The state department says Wednesday the sanctions will be imposed on Russia because it used a chemical weapon in violation of international law.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said: “The
United States determined under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (CBW Act) that the government of the Russian Federation has used chemical or biological weapons in violation of international law, or has used lethal chemical or biological weapons against its own nationals.”
Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned by Novichok, a military-grade nerve agent, in the British town of Salisbury in March.
Following a 15-day notification period, the sanctions will take effect on or around 22 August, according to the state department.
The news came on Wednesday as Republican U.S. Senator Rand Paul said he had delivered a letter from President Donald Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin proposing cooperation.
NBC news reports the first round of sanctions will limit exports and financing, while the second "could include downgrading diplomatic relations, suspending state airline Aeroflot's ability to fly to the US, and cutting off nearly all exports and imports."
Britain has consistently accused Russia of being behind the chemical attack, which the Kremlin strongly denied on several occasions.
Since March two other British nationals with no ties to Russia have been poisoned by the substance.
Dawn Sturgess, 44, died in July after handling an item contaminated with the nerve agent on 30 June.
Her partner Charlie Rowley, 45, was also taken ill after being exposed to the chemical.
On Wednesday night , Chris ford of the US State Bureau of Intl Security & #Nonproliferation tweeted: "Russia's use of a "Novichok" nerve agent puts it in violation of the Chemical and Biological Weapons Act.
"We notified Congress of our intent to impose several #sanctions on #Russia.
Responding to new sancrions on Russia, a Downing Street spokesman said: "The UK welcomes this further action by our US allies.
"The strong international response to the use of a chemical weapon on the streets of Salisbury sends an unequivocal message to Russia that its provocative, reckless behaviour will not go unchallenged."