▁attempted ▁murder , ▁a ▁charge ▁which ▁Russia ▁denied . ▁After ▁the ▁UK ▁exp elled ▁ 2 3 ▁Russian ▁diplom ats ▁( an ▁action ▁which ▁would ▁later ▁be ▁respond ed ▁to ▁with ▁a ▁Russian ▁exp ulsion ▁of ▁ 2 3 ▁British ▁diplom ats ), ▁British ▁Foreign ▁Secretary ▁Bor is ▁Johnson ▁said ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁March ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁" over wh el ming ly ▁likely " ▁Put in ▁had ▁personally ▁ordered ▁the ▁poison ing ▁of ▁Sk rip al . ▁Put in ' s ▁sp okes man ▁D mit ry ▁P esk ov ▁called ▁the ▁alleg ation ▁" sh ock ing ▁and ▁un p ardon able ▁diplom atic ▁mis con duct ". ▁ ▁Australia ▁and ▁Latin ▁America ▁▁ ▁Put in ▁and ▁his ▁successor , ▁Med ved ev , ▁enjoyed ▁warm ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁late ▁Hugo ▁Ch á vez ▁of ▁Venezuela . ▁Much ▁of ▁this ▁has ▁been ▁through ▁the ▁sale ▁of ▁military ▁equipment ; ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Venezuela ▁has ▁purchased ▁more ▁than ▁$ 4   b ill ion ▁worth ▁of ▁arms ▁from ▁Russia . ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Russia ▁sent ▁T up ole v ▁Tu - 1 6 0 ▁bom bers ▁to ▁Venezuela ▁to ▁carry ▁out ▁training ▁fl ights . ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁both ▁countries ▁held ▁a ▁joint ▁naval ▁exercise ▁in ▁the ▁Car ib bean . ▁Ear lier ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁Put in ▁had ▁re - est ab lished ▁stronger ▁t ies ▁with ▁F idel ▁Castro ' s