UK demands Russia explain after two critically poisoned by same nerve agent used in Sergei Skripal attack

Home Secretary Sajid Javid — Britain's interior minister — said in an address to parliament on Thursday that the incident would "obviously... invoke memories of the reckless murder attempts of Sergei and Yulia Skripal earlier this year."

"I know that many of you will question whether this incident is linked to that one. That is clearly the main line of inquiry," he said.

Javid continued: "The eyes of the world are currently on Russia, not least because of the World Cup. It is now time that the Russian state comes forward and explains exactly what has gone on."

"We do not have a quarrel with the Russian people, rather it is the actions of the Russian government that continue to undermine our security and that of the international community."

"We will stand up to the actions that threaten our security, and the security of our partners. It is completely unacceptable for our people to be deliberate or accidental targets, or for our streets, our parks, our towns to be dumping grounds for poison," he said.

Sturgess and Rowley were found unconscious at separate times in the same home on Saturday. Investigators initially suspected that they had overdosed on heroin or cocaine, but after observing their symptoms ─ police didn't describe them ─ authorities took samples for lab testing. Those tests came back positive for Novichok, Basu said.

He added that no one else had reported falling ill with similar symptoms.

Investigators are now focusing on how and where Burgess and Rowley came into contact with Novichok, Basu said.

As a "precautionary measure," police cordoned off sites in the Amesbury and Salisbury areas that they believe the two visited just before they were sickened, Basu said.

"I do want to reassure the public, however, that there is no evidence that either the man or woman recently visited any of the sites that were decontaminated following the attempted murders of Sergei and Yulia Skripal," Basu said.

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