Ex-spy poisoning row: Russian Embassy requests to meet UK's Foreign Secretary

The Russian Embassy has requested a meeting with United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in regard to the poisoning of ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, claiming that the dealings with Russia over the issue are 'utterly unsatisfactory'.

The British Foreign Office on Saturday confirmed that a request had been received while calling Russia's move as a "diversionary tactic" in order to displace the allegations regarding the latter's involvement in the incident, as reported by The Guardian.

The Russian Embassy posted on its website that, "Ambassador Yakovenko has already sent a respective personal note to the foreign secretary. We hope that the British side will engage constructively and that such meeting is arranged shortly."

Earlier on April 4, British military facility head Gary Aitkenhead claimed to identify the nerve agent as the military-grade Novichok but they had not proved that it was made in Russia.

He also hinted towards the involvement of the state-actors in the manufacturing of the nerve-agent.

According to the British government, Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia were exposed to a military-grade nerve agent in the British city of Salisbury on March 4.

Yulia was able to recover from the attack after being hospitalised for over a week. She also gave her first public statement to media. She expressed her gratitude towards the people of Salisbury to offer emotional support to her and her family.

Skripal has been admitted to the Salisbury district hospital and has now been declared as out of danger.