Russia has committed an attack that resulted in the death of a Briton, defense minister Gavin Williamson said on Monday, linking Russia to the incident after a 44 year-old woman who was poisoned by nerve agent Novichok died, Reuters reported.

Williamson was asked in parliament about the threat facing people in Britain after the death of Dawn Sturgess on Sunday.

“The simple reality is that Russia has committed an attack on British soil which has seen the death of a British citizen,” Williamson said.

“That is something that I think the world will unite with us in actually condemning.”

Police have said Sturgess handled an item contaminated by Novichok, a few miles from where Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were attacked with the same poison in March.

It was unclear if Williamson was referring to the attack on the Skripals or a new attack. Britain has blamed Russia for the poisoning of the Skripals, but Russia has denied involvement.