Amesbury poisoning latest: Linking novichok incident to Moscow is 'absurd', says Kremlin

'This is now more a problem for the British – more about how much they are interested in a real investigation'

Forensic investigators, wearing protective suits, in Amesbury, 6 July (Reuters)

The Kremlin has rejected accusations linking Russia it to the first confirmed UK death by novichok poisoning.

Responding to the overnight news that Dawn Sturgess, 44, had died in Salisbury general hospital, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was watching the "dangerous" developments closely.

"We are concerned about the presence of such poisonous substances in the United Kingdom," he told journalists at his daily press conference.

The Kremlin was "unaware" of any official statement blaming it for the second novichok incident, he said – but such claims "would be absurd."

"Russia has offered to collaborate on a joint investigation, but our offer was rejected by British authorities," he said. "This is now more a problem for the British – more about how much they are interested in a real investigation."