The allegations, with respect to Russia’s involvement in the poisoning of former KGB Colonel Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Great Britain, are a provocation, and they are aimed especially at losing trust in Russia as host country of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, reported RIA Novosti news agency of Russia.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) noted in a statement that it had repeatedly warned that Western media would launch a large-scale smear campaign before the start of the World Cup in Russia, and aimed at discrediting Russia as host country of this football tournament.

According to the statement, the British are particularly active in this smear campaign, since they cannot forgive Russia for beating them in the battle for hosting this year’s World Cup.

On March 4, 66-year-old Skripal and his daughter, 33-year-old Yulia, who was visiting from Moscow, were poisoned with a nerve agent in Great Britain. They were found unconscious on a shopping mall bench in Salisbury town.