Julie Bishop says Russia must explain attempted murder of Sergei Skripala

Julie Bishop has hardened her language against Russia after speaking to Boris Johnson about the attempted assassination of a double agent.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has hardened her language against Russia after speaking to British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson about the attempted assassination of double agent Sergei Skripal.

The UK has been attempting to gather global support for their position after Prime Minister Theresa May accused Russia of ­either a “direct attack on” the UK or of losing control of a deadly nerve agent.

Yesterday Ms Bishop said the attack was horrifying and raises questions about who was responsible.

“It raises the obvious question, who had access to such a nerve agent,” she told the ABC. “So we support in the strongest possible terms the British parliament, and the British government’s ... efforts to bring those responsible to ­account to justice.”

Now, she has singled out Russia and said the country had questions to answer.

“I have been in contact with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson,” she told reporters in Sydney.

“We understand that the substance used in this attempted assassination was a military grade nerve gas that has been developed in the past by Russia ... So Russia has an explanation that it must give.”

Asked about sanctions, also said that Australia would “consider” any further response once the investigation is concluded.

There has been discord in the United States over the role of Russia in the attack. After the White House declined to say Russia was responsible, the outgoing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the poison used on Skripal and his daughter Yulia “clearly’’ came from Russia.

Police believe the poison — Russian state-made Novichok — was planted in Mr Skripal’s car shortly before the pair were found catatonic on a park bench in the English city of Salisbury.

Ms May set a midnight deadline (which expired at 11am AEST today) for Russia to explain its role in the ­attempted assassination which also left a police office seriously ill.

Australian High Commissioner to the UK Alexander Downer tweeted: “deadline passes. Australia backs Britain in its dispute with Russia”.

Deadline passes. #Australia backs #Britain in its dispute with #Russia

— Alexander Downer (@AusHCUK) March 14, 2018