Investigators confirm nerve agent used on ex-spy

Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with a nerve agent of “high purity,” the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed on Thursday. Britain accused Russia of poisoning Skripal and his adult daughter Yulia on March 4 with the Novichok nerve agent. In a published summary, the international chemical weapons watchdog group did not name the specific agent but said tests “confirm the findings of the United Kingdom relating to the identity of the toxic chemical.” U.K. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the test results verify the nerve agent and “who was responsible—only Russia has the means, motive, and record.” A British hospital on Tuesday released Yulia Skripal and noted her father’s condition was improving. Earlier on Thursday, Yulia Skripal in a statement said she does not wish to avail herself to the Russian Embassy after it offered her assistance. The embassy said it doubted the statement came from her and said it only “strengthens suspicions that we are dealing with a forcible isolation of the Russian citizen.”