Britain points at Russian President Vladimir Putin in poisoning attackALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/AP Seeking re-election this weekend, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been accused by Britain of ordering the nerve agent attack on a ex-Russian spy on UK soil. Britain's foreign secretary accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of personally ordering a nerve agent attack in Britain, ratcheting up tensions on Friday (Saturday NZ Time) in an increasingly global showdown over alleged Russian meddling abroad. READ MORE: Nerve agent in spy poisoning 'planted in suitcase'Australia on Friday joined the condemnation of the nerve agent attack, as British Prime Minister Theresa May seeks a global coalition of countries to punish Moscow. The source of the nerve agent used - which Britain says is the Soviet-made Novichok - is unclear, as is the way it was administered. Alexander Shulgin, Russia's envoy at the Hague-based OPCW, said that Britain and the United States both had the nerve agent.

Source: Stuff March 16, 2018 16:18 UTC