England fans ‘in danger’ at Russia 2018 World Cup following poisoning of spy Sergei Skripal as MP admits it looks like ‘state-sponsored attempted murder’
ENGLAND fans have been warned by a top MP they could be in danger at the World Cup in Russia amid the fallout of the spy poisoning scandal.
Tom Tugendhat, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs committee, said British authorities need to be “very, very careful” to monitor the safety of travelling fans after the nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal last week.
In a chilling warning ahead of the championship, which kicks off in three months, he said the Government should make sure Three Lions supports “are not in any way caught up in the politics of this”.
He added: “I’m afraid the danger of Russia responding to British fans for actions taken by their Government is all too real.”
Former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal, 66, remains in a critical condition in hospital along with daughter Yulia, 33.
They were attacked in Salisbury, Wilts, last Sunday in what is widely believed to be an attempted hit ordered by the Kremlin.
The warning comes after Russian “ultra” thugs held summits to plot bloody attacks on England fans — and undergo intense “training” at the gym to face-off against British “firms”.
England begin their campaign in Volgograd against Tunisia, followed by Panama in Nizhny Novgorod and Belgium in Kaliningrad.
In an indication that the British Government was preparing to strike back at Russia, Mr Tugendhat said the attack was “looking awfully like it was state-sponsored attempted murder”.
He said would be surprised if Theresa May, who is chairing crunch talks on the Salisbury nerve agent attack, did not blame Moscow and hardman leader Vladimir Putin.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s a bit too early to be absolutely certain of that but we are expecting to see the Prime Minister make an announcement soon.
“And, frankly, I would be surprised if she did not point the finger at the Kremlin.”
Theresa May is preparing to name Russia as responsible for the chemical weapons outrage after confirmation from spy chiefs.
The PM’s explosive move will plunge relations between London and Moscow into their worst crisis since the end of the Cold War.
This morning a former KGB spook claimed he was told his life was in danger along with poisoned Skripal — but he dismissed the warning as a “joke”.
Ex-double agent Boris Karpichkov says he was told just weeks ago that “something bad” would happen to him and his fellow former spy.
In a sensational appearance on ITV’s Good Morning Britain today, Karpichkov said: “When I was communicated this chilling message, I took it as a joke because I didn’t believe.
“Message: That something bad is going to happen with me and some other people, including Mr Skripal”.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.