This comes after on Thursday Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov promised to expel diplomats from those countries that had expelled Russian diplomats in a move of support for UK Prime Minister Theresa May's accusations regarding Moscow's involvement in the poisoning of ex-GRU officer Sergei Skripal. When asked if that meant London would now have to cut exactly 50 diplomatic and technical staff, she said: “A little over 50.”

Separately, Russia’s Ministry of Transport demanded Britain explain why an Aeroflot passenger plane was searched at Heathrow airport on Friday, in what the Russian Embassy in London called a ‘blatant provocation’. Announcement regarding daughter of poisoned spy comes amid row over search of Russian aircraft by British authorities

The Foreign Office has said it is considering Russia’s request for consular access to Yulia Skripal as a fresh row develops over why British authorities searched a Russian aircraft travelling from Moscow to London on Friday.
The United Kingdom Foreign Office considers a consular request from the government of Russia for visitation with Yulia Skripal, the daughter of poisoned ex-spy Sergei Skripal.