Russia unleashed a blistering war of words against Britain at the UN Security Council today, deflecting accusations of poisoning a former double agent in England with denials, "Alice in Wonderland" and Russian literature.
"It's some sort of theater of the absurd. Couldn't you come up with a better fake story?" Russian Ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, told the council. "We have told our British colleagues that 'you're playing with fire and you'll be sorry.'"
Nebenzia claimed "a propaganda war" against Russia was being waged that sought "to discredit and even de-legitimize Russia."
"I won't take any lectures on morality or on our responsibilities," said Pierce, "from a country that, as this council debated yesterday, has done so much to block the proper investigation of the use of chemical weapons in Syria."
In lengthy, rhetorical flourishes, the Russian envoy referenced popular British television series "Midsomer Murders" -- set in the bucolic countryside -- and Russian literary masterpiece "Crime and Punishment."
"It's not a crime novel as the British (foreign) minister thinks, but rather a deep philosophical work of literature," he said. "I would suggest that Mr (Boris) Johnson read some other novels by Dostoevsky or at least get to know their names."
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content