International

Russia has evidence that Britain had “direct involvement” in staging the suspected chemical attack in Syria, its military chiefs have claimed.

Humanitarian volunteers were “seriously pressured” by the UK to speed up plans for a “provocation” in Eastern Ghouta, according to the federation’s defence ministry.

Britain’s UN ambassador Karen Pierce told reporters following an emergency meeting of the Security Council the suggestion was “grotesque” and a “blatant lie”.It comes as Russia and the United States traded fresh blows as the latest round of talks at the UN Security Council.