"This is a challenge to all of us who believe in international law and the rules-based system," she said.

"This is part of a pattern of Russian behaviour from the assassination of Alexander Litvinenko through to the shooting down of (Malaysian Airlines flight) MH17, where sadly Australian lives were lost."

"The UK will not tolerate this sort of action on UK soil and we will continue to work with partners on our response."

Mr Turnbull's statement will worsen relations with Russia which hit rock bottom in 2014 when Russian President Vladimir Putin refused to acknowledge, let alone help investigate, Russia's role in the shooting down of Flight 17 by Russian-backed rebels in The Ukraine. The atrocity killed all 298 passengers and crew, including 38 Australians.

Mr Turnbull said the government was "gravely concerned" at Russia's latest behaviour.

"We share the UK's outrage over this targeted attempt to commit murder using chemical weapons," he said.

"Australia condemns the use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere, under any circumstances. There is no circumstance that justifies the use of such indiscriminate, abhorrent weapons."

"Australia stands with the UK in solidarity and supports, in the strongest terms, Prime Minister May's response to this heinous attack, the first use of chemical weapons in Europe since World War II," he said.

"We support her government's commitment to ensure a full investigation and efforts to bring those responsible to justice. The Australian Government also supports the UK Government's right to take retaliatory measures, including its decision to expel 23 Russian diplomats and to call for an emergency session of the UN Security Council.

"Australia has already conveyed our serious concerns overnight at a meeting of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague. We also raised our grave concerns about this attack at the Human Rights Council on March 14 in Geneva."