(The Washington Post/AP), March 17   -The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Sweden all rejected a suggestion by a Russian spokeswoman that the nerve agent which poisoned a former Russian double agent and his daughter might have originated in their countries.  

A Russian lawmaker earlier blamed Britain for the escalating tensions between London and Moscow over the nerve agent poisoning of a former Russian double agent and his daughter.  

On Saturday Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, told Russia-24 television that the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Britain or Sweden were likely sources of the nerve agent.  

Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom tweeted that she “forcefully rejects (the) unacceptable and unfounded allegation” adding that “Russia should answer UK questions instead.”  

Czech Foreign Minister Martin Stropnicky called it an “absurd accusation.”  

Britain blames Russia for the nerve-agent attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter, who were found unconscious March 4 in the English city of Salisbury and remain in critical condition.  

Hours after Russia on Saturday announced that 23 British diplomats would be expelled, Konstantin Kosachev told The Associated Press “this is not our choice, definitely. We have not raised any tensions in our relations, it was the decision by the British side without evidence.”  

Kosachev is the head of the foreign affairs committee in the upper house of the Russian parliament.