Ex-Russian spy’s daughter no longer in critical condition after nerve-agent poisoning

The daughter of a former Russian spy who was poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent earlier this month is no longer in critical condition, doctors said Thursday.

Salisbury NHS Foundation in the United Kingdom said that Yulia Skripal’s condition is improving rapidly, and that she is currently stable, The Guardian reported. 

“I’m pleased to be able to report an improvement in the condition of Yulia Skripal,” Christine Blanshard, the medical director for Salisbury district hospital, said. “She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day.”

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Sergei Skripal, an ex-Russian spy and Yulia’s father, is still in critical condition, but is stable, the hospital said.

U.K. officials have blamed Moscow for carrying out the March 4 poisoning of the Skripals with a Soviet-era Novichok nerve agent. Moscow has denied any role in the attack.

The episode is at the center of a growing international squabble between Western countries and Russia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced on Thursday that Russia would expel 60 American diplomats and would shutter the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg in response to a similar action by Washington.

Lavrov also said Moscow would take similar actions against two dozen other countries that booted out Russian diplomats this week.