Russia has said it will expel diplomats and close the US consulate in St Petersburg in retaliation to the coordinated international response over the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain.

More than two dozen countries, including the US and many EU nations – as well as Nato - have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britain over the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury earlier this month.

The UK has accused Russia of responsibility for the attack, during which it claims the Skripals were exposed to a class of nerve agent called novichok. Russia has denied being involved and its foreign minister Sergei Lavrov made clear that all expulsions will be responded to in kind.

Mr Lavrov said that US Ambassador Jon Huntsman was summoned to the Foreign Ministry where he was given notice that Russia is replicating the US decision to order 60 Russian diplomats out. Mr Lavrov added that Moscow will also retaliate to the decision by Washington to shut the Russian consulate in Seattle by closing the US consulate in St Petersburg.

The tit-for-tat expulsions come as no surprise. But the shuttering of the American consulate in Russia’s second city is an escalation. The Seattle consulate is Russia’s smallest diplomatic outpost in the US.

Fifty-eight of the US officials are based in Moscow, with another two general consulate officials in the eastern city of Yekateringburg. They have been declared persona non grata and have been told to leave Russia by 5 April. The US Consulate in St Petersburg has two days to suspend operations, according to Russian media.

During the briefing Mr Lavrov accused Britain of “forcing everyone to follow an anti-Russian course” and that they were “making mockery of international law”. Russia has called for a meeting with the executive council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to ask questions to “establish the truth”, he said.

“The measures would be reciprocal ... They include expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and they include our decision to withdraw our agreement to allow the United States’ general consulate to operate in St Petersburg,” Mr Lavrov said.

Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Scene of attack Members of the emergency services in hazard suits fix the tent over the bench where Sergei and Yulia Skripal were found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury in March 2018. Getty Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Victim - Sergei Skripal The retired Russian colonel and former double agent for MI6 was in a critical condition in hospital for more than two months after being exposed to novichok in Salisbury. He was given refuge in the UK after being jailed in Moscow for treason. Mr Skripal came to Britain as part of a high-profile “spy swap” in 2010 in which four men were exchanged for ten Russian "sleeper agents" in the US. In this image he is speaking to his lawyer from behind bars in Moscow in 2006. AP Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Victim - Yulia Skripal Yulia Skripal was struck down by a novichok poison alongside her father Sergei. Facebook Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Scene of attack A police officer stands guard outside a branch of the Italian chain restaurant Zizzi where the pair dined at before falling ill. It was boarded off whilst investigators worked on the building and later found traces of the chemical weapon within it. AFP/Getty Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Scene of attack Large areas of central Salisbury were cordoned off by police following the discovery of the Skripals. Traces of nerve agent were also found in The Mill pub. PA Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Victim - Nick Bailey Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, rushed to the aid of the Russian ex-spy and his daughter who were targeted with a nerve agent. He was hospitalized after aiding them and didn't leave until three weeks after the attack. Wiltshire Police/Rex Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Police investigation - Skripal’s home Police believe they were poisoned at home, and detectives found the highest concentration of novichok on the front door of Mr Skripal’s house. Getty Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Theresa May visits scene of attack Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May spokes with Wiltshire Police's Chief Constable Kier Pritchard near where the Skripal's were found. Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats over the nerve agent poisoning and suspended high-level contacts, including for the World Cup on March 14. Theresa May told parliament that Russia had failed to respond to her demand for an explanation on how a Soviet-designed chemical, Novichok, was used in Salisbury. AFP/Getty Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Skripal days before attack Sergei Skripal days before he was exposed to Novichok, that has left him fighting for life. ITV News Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Police investigation - military involvement British soldiers were deployed soon after the attack to help a counter-terrorism investigation into the nerve agent attack. One of the places they were asked to help out with was Skripal's home and it's surrounding. They were asked to remove a vehicle connected to the agent attack in Salisbury, from a residential street in Gillingham. AFP/Getty Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Police investigation Personnel in protective coveralls and breathing equipment cover an ambulance with a tarpaulin at the Salisbury District Hospital. AFP/Getty Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Police investigation The investigation extended to the grave of Sergei Skripal's son Alexander in London Road cemetery. Getty Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Police investigation The Counter Terrorism Policing Network requested assistance from the military to remove a number of vehicles and objects from Salisbury. EPA Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Home Secretary visits scene of attack Home Secretary Amber Rudd visited the scene of the nerve agent attack at the Maltings shopping centre on 9 March. Getty Skripal attack aftermath – in pictures Yulia Skripal speaks for the first time Yulia Skripal, speaking for the first time, said she felt lucky to have survived the nerve agent attack in Salisbury which left her fighting for life. Ms Skripal said her life had been “turned upside down” by the assassination attempt. But the Russian national added she hoped to return to her homeland one day, despite the Kremlin being blamed for the attack. Reuters

Trailing the decision earlier in the day, the Kremlin mouthpiece Izvestia newspaper said that the foreign ministry had debated closing consulates in Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok. In the end, the recommendation was St Petersburg – considered more significant to US interests – although the final word would naturally come from President Vladimir Putin.

The US State Department said there is “no justification” for the expulsions from Russia. Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said that while it was not surprising, Moscow’s reaction was a “regrettable, unwarranted action”.

Ms Nauert said that she expected the Russian Foreign Ministry to expel diplomats from up to 28 different countries, but ”Russia should not be acting like a victim”.

She added that it was clear Moscow is “not interested in having good relations with other countries”. The US, meanwhile, is reviewing further options in terms of a response to the latest moves by the Kremlin.

Salisbury nerve agent attack: Sergei Skripal and daughter were poisoned with novichok on their front door

Traditionally, Russia’s response to what it deems to be dangerous actions by a foe – whether military or diplomatic – has been to escalate quickly. The calculation has always been that the opponent will fold first. Usually, they do.

The initial UK response to the Salisbury poisoning seemed to build that understanding into their sanctions, offering what many considered to be no more a mild tap on Russian wrists. The expulsion of 23 diplomats allegedly involved in intelligence activity was certainly less than many expected. Russia responded as expected by raising the stakes – bringing the British Council and Consulate in St Petersburg into the equation.

But the subsequent collective action by Western countries has taken Moscow by surprise. And things may be about to get worse for the Kremlin, with the UK government this week raising the possibility of banning the sale of Russian sovereign bonds in London. Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that such a move would hit London more than Russia. “These decisions can not but harm the reputation of such countries in terms of their relationship with other investors,” he said.

Scotland Yard believe Mr Skripal and his daughter first came in contact with the nerve agent that poisoned them at his home, with the highest concentration of the novichok nerve agent found at his front door. The Skripals were later found unconscious on a park bench and have been patients at Salisbury District Hospital ever since. Yulia is said to be “improving rapidly” but Sergei remains in a critical but stable condition.

The hospital's medical director Dr Christine Blanshard reported "an improvement" in the condition of Yulia Skripal.

“She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day.... I want to take this opportunity to once again thank the staff of Salisbury District Hospital for delivering such high quality care to these patients over the last few weeks,” she said.

The latest expulsions by Moscow will do little to quell fears of a new cold war, as raised by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday.