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| RT: Russian station's chocolate Salisbury Cathedral gift slammed | RT: Russian station's chocolate Salisbury Cathedral gift slammed |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Politicians in Salisbury have blasted a Russian state-run broadcaster which sent chocolate models of the city's cathedral as a festive gift. | Politicians in Salisbury have blasted a Russian state-run broadcaster which sent chocolate models of the city's cathedral as a festive gift. |
| RT said the edible item reflected one of the "biggest news stories of the year" and was sent to "multiple" recipients in the media and beyond. | RT said the edible item reflected one of the "biggest news stories of the year" and was sent to "multiple" recipients in the media and beyond. |
| Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned in Salisbury in March. | Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned in Salisbury in March. |
| Salisbury MP John Glen said: "This is bizarre behaviour but to be expected." | Salisbury MP John Glen said: "This is bizarre behaviour but to be expected." |
| An image of the intricate chocolate model wrapped in RT-branded ribbons was shared by the Russian channel TV Dozhd, also known as TV Rain. | An image of the intricate chocolate model wrapped in RT-branded ribbons was shared by the Russian channel TV Dozhd, also known as TV Rain. |
| In a tweet, Dozhd thanked RT for the gift but added: "Come for tea, we're afraid to eat it alone." | In a tweet, Dozhd thanked RT for the gift but added: "Come for tea, we're afraid to eat it alone." |
| Salisbury councillor Jo Broom joined Mr Glen in denouncing the cathedral replica, saying it was "in very poor taste". | Salisbury councillor Jo Broom joined Mr Glen in denouncing the cathedral replica, saying it was "in very poor taste". |
| She added: "It's very regrettable that somebody would see fit to do something like this, and is quite disrespectful to those that were caught up in the incident." | She added: "It's very regrettable that somebody would see fit to do something like this, and is quite disrespectful to those that were caught up in the incident." |
| RT, previously known as Russia Today, interviewed the two men named as suspects in the poisonings. They claimed they were merely tourists visiting Salisbury at the time. | |
| The men, named as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, said friends suggested they visit the "famous Salisbury cathedral" and "its 123m-tall spire" but had decided against it because of "muddy slush everywhere". | The men, named as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, said friends suggested they visit the "famous Salisbury cathedral" and "its 123m-tall spire" but had decided against it because of "muddy slush everywhere". |
| The UK government says Russia's GRU spy agency carried out the nerve agent attack. | |
| The Bellingcat investigative website later named the Russian pair caught on CCTV as GRU agents Anatoliy Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin. | |
| The Skripals survived being poisoned by the nerve agent Novichok, but Dawn Sturgess - a woman not connected to the Russian events - died in July having been exposed to the same substance. | The Skripals survived being poisoned by the nerve agent Novichok, but Dawn Sturgess - a woman not connected to the Russian events - died in July having been exposed to the same substance. |
| Earlier this month, the UK's media watchdog Ofcom ruled RT had broken TV impartiality rules in seven programmes after the Salisbury attacks. | |
| An RT spokesperson said the chocolate model had been sent as a gift "in the spirit of the Holiday Season" to "multiple friends, peers and partners in the media sphere and beyond". | An RT spokesperson said the chocolate model had been sent as a gift "in the spirit of the Holiday Season" to "multiple friends, peers and partners in the media sphere and beyond". |
| "As a news organisation, every year we put together presents that reflect one or several of the biggest news stories of the year," the spokesperson added. | "As a news organisation, every year we put together presents that reflect one or several of the biggest news stories of the year," the spokesperson added. |
| "In 2018 we chose to highlight the internationally-resonant interview conducted by RT's own editor in chief." | "In 2018 we chose to highlight the internationally-resonant interview conducted by RT's own editor in chief." |