The Latest: Russia 'not trolling' Britain over spy case
MOSCOW (AP) - The Latest on the poisoning of a Russian ex-spy and his daughter (all times local):
7:50 p.m.
Russia's Ambassador to Britain, Alexander Yakovenko, has rejected the notion that the embassy is "trolling" Britain with its Twitter account.
The London Embassy's account, which has sometimes mirrored the wry humor of the ambassador, has been vocal in demanding evidence backing Britain's insistence that Russia was behind the March 4 nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in the city of Salisbury.
One March post featured a picture of actor David Suchet as Hercule Poirot, the intrepid sleuth of Agatha Christie novels.
On March 18 the Russian Embassy tweeted: "In absence of evidence, we definitely need Poirot in Salisbury!"
Pressed on the tweets, Yakovenko said Thursday that "We are using in this situation a sense of human humor because some statements are really not friendly."
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4:30 p.m.
Russia's top diplomat says Moscow must participate in a probe into the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy in Britain and see evidence if it is to accept the probe's results.
Britain blamed Russia for the March 4 poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, accusations Russia has denied.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Britain stonewalled Moscow's request for evidence and refused to let Russia join the probe.
Asked Thursday if Russia would accept the conclusions of the international chemical weapons watchdog, Lavrov said Moscow can't give an advance approval to a verdict coming after a secret investigation to which it had no access.
Lavrov said that the expulsions of over 150 Russian diplomats by two dozen Western nations threatened global stability. Moscow expelled the same number of Western diplomats.
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4:15 p.m.
The poisoned daughter of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal says in a statement released by police that her strength is growing daily and that she is grateful for the interest shown in her case.
Yulia Skripal said Thursday that she woke up over a week ago after being poisoned along with her father in the southwestern city of Salisbury on March 4. The 33-year-old expressed gratitude to the people who came to their aid.
She says that "I am sure you appreciate that the entire episode is somewhat disorientating, and I hope that you'll respect my privacy and that of my family during the period of my convalescence."
Britain has blamed Russia for the poisoning using a military grade nerve agent. In response, more than two dozen Western allies including Britain, the U.S. and NATO have ordered out over 150 Russian diplomats in a show of solidarity.
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3:45 p.m.
Russian state television has released a recording of what it says is a phone call between the daughter of an ex-spy poisoned in Britain and her cousin in Russia.
In it, Yulia Skripal says she and her father, former double agent Sergei Skripal, are both recovering and in normal health. She says her father is sleeping and his health has not been irreparably damaged.
Rossiya TV says Skripal's niece, Viktoria, who lives in Moscow, provided it with the recording of her conversation with Yulia. The broadcaster says it can't verify the recording's authenticity.
Britain has blamed Russia for the March 4 nerve agent attack that sickened the Skripals. The British hospital treating them said Yulia's condition has improved, while her father has remained in critical condition. Russia has vehemently denied involvement in the poisoning.
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11 a.m.
Russia's top diplomat has dismissed the recent expulsions of Russian diplomats as a mockery of international law.
Two dozen countries have kicked out a total of more than 150 Russian diplomats in a show of solidarity with Britain, which blames Russia for last month's poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday the nerve agent poisoning of Sergei Skripal was "staged" to justify the expulsions from many countries "whose arms were twisted."
The international chemical weapons watchdog on Wednesday rejected Russia's calls for a joint investigation with Britain. Russia said the number of countries that abstained from the vote suggested many have doubts about Britain's allegations that Moscow was behind the attack.