Mass expulsion of Russian officials in coordinated global response to UK poisoning

More than 100 Russian intelligence officials have been expelled from 21 countries in a coordinated response to a nerve attack in Britain.

A visitor stands outside the entrance to the Russian Consulate in Seattle (AAP) Source: AAP

Russia says the widespread action was a very unfortunate and unfriendly move. Britain was the first to act last week, expelling 23 suspected Russian spies. Now its allies in Europe and around the world, including Australia, have followed suit in the biggest collective expulsion of Russian intelligence officers in history. The 21 countries involved appear to have accepted Britain's assessment that Moscow is responsible for the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English town of Salisbury [sawls-bree]. British Prime Minister Theresa May told Parliament they must face down the threat from Russia together