Poisoned Russian spy's niece running for office in Russia

The niece of a former Russian spy who was poisoned in Britain is running for a seat in a regional legislature in Russia on the ticket of a Kremlin-controlled party.

Viktoria Skripal is running for office in the Yaroslavl region north of Moscow as a candidate of A Just Russia party, according to party spokeswoman Anastasia Pivovarova.

Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia survived a poison attack in the English city of Salisbury in March.

Britain says they were poisoned by a nerve agent known as Novichok and that Russia was behind the attack.

Moscow strongly denies the allegation. In appearances on Russian state-controlled television Viktoria Skripal has said she doesn't trust Britain to handle the investigation.

Pivovarova said Viktoria Skripal has the support of the party because of her "active civic position".