UK says sanctions over Navalny poisoning send clear message to Russia

LONDON (Reuters) - British foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Friday that new sanctions against Russian intelligence operatives over the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny showed Britain and its partners would hold those responsible to account.

"We are sending a clear message that any use of chemical weapons by the Russian state violates international law, and a transparent criminal investigation must be held," Raab said in a statement.

The sanctions were announced earlier, on the anniversary of Navalny's poisoning.

(Reporting by William James; editing by Michael Holden)