Russia’s ministry of transport said Moscow would demand an official explanation from Britain for why a Russian Aeroflot passenger plane had been subjected to a search at Heathrow airport on Friday. According to an embassy officer Border Force and customs officers at first tried to search the plane without the crew, although the captain was eventually allowed to be present. It comes after Russia claimed UK authorities searched one of their planes at a London airport in what they called a "blatant provocation". The Russian A321 Airbus, thought to be Aeroflot flight SU2582, was reportedly searched by UK authorities after flying from Sheremetyevo in Moscow to London. This kind of event is extraordinary.”

The Metropolitan Police, which is coordinating the investigation into the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, denied it was part of the search. "If there is no explanation, the Russian side will deem the actions towards our plane as illegal and also reserve the right to take similar action against British airlines," it said in a statement. Meanwhile the British government is considering allowing visits to Yulia Skripal, who is recovering in hospital after being poisoned along with her father, a Russian ex-spy, in a nerve agent attack blamed by Britain on Russia. The Russian Embassy said on Friday it 'insists' on the right to see Ms Skripal, 33, after it emerged on Thursday she was improving rapidly. In a statement, the NHS said Yulia Skripal, 33, is getting better after spending three weeks in a critical condition due to the nerve toxin attack. Ms Skripal is understood to be conscious and talking having been poisoned with novichok while visiting her father in Salisbury.
The government of Russia claims that United Kingdom police searched an Aeroflot Airbus jet at Heathrow Airport arriving from Moscow. The Metropolitan Police deny searching the aircraft.