Nerve agent that poisoned Sergei Skripal was ‘planted in his daughter’s suitcase BEFORE she left Russia’

THE nerve agent which poisoned a Russian double agent was planted in his daughter's suitcase before leaving Moscow, it has been reported.

Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, 33, have been in a critical condition ever since they were struck down by a deadly substance believed to be novichok on March 4.

Counter-terror cops and MI5 do not believe their poisoners ever entered the UK, .

They are reported to be working on the theory that an object they were carrying was laced with the drug, then opened at Skripal's home in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

As many as 131 people may have come in contact with the deadly substance developed in Russia, according to Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills of Wiltshire Police.

Skripal's niece has broken her silence to claim Yulia, who had a bust-up with her boyfriend's mum, was the real target of the attack.

Relatives are pointing the finger at the prospective mother-in-law after it was disclosed she was a highly-ranked Russian security official.

The mum, who has not been identified, is said to have been furious that her son was marrying into the family of a man who betrayed 300 Russian agents.

Victoria, 45, from Yaroslavl, north east of Moscow, said: "My opinion is that it was done not against Uncle Sergei, but against his daughter."

Meanwhile Britain, the US, Germany and France jointly called on Russia to explain the military-grade nerve toxin attack in England.

Britain pinned the blame on Moscow and began the expulsion of 23 Russians spies working under diplomatic cover at the London embassy.

Moscow has denied any involvement in the poisoning. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused London of behaving in a "boorish" way.

Russia has refused Britain's demands to explain how Novichok, a nerve agent first developed by the Soviet military, was used against Sergei Skripal.

US President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May all signed a joint statement.

The world leaders said: "We call on Russia to address all questions related to the attack. It is an assault on UK sovereignty... It threatens the security of us all."

While the statement signals a more coordinated response from Britain's closest allies, it lacked any details about specific measures the West would take if Russia failed to comply.