MOSCOW, March 16. /TASS/. London’s allegations of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s involvement in the poisoning of former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal are an example of unpardonable diplomatic misconduct, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS.

"We have said on different levels and occasions that Russia has nothing to do with this story," Peskov pointed out when asked to comment on a statement made by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. "Any reference or mentioning of our president is nothing else but shocking and unpardonable diplomatic misconduct," the Russian presidential spokesman added.

Johnson said earlier on Friday that London believed it "overwhelmingly likely" that the Russian leader had personally handed down orders to use a nerve agent to poison Skripal. "Our quarrel is with Putin’s Kremlin, and with his decision, and we think it overwhelmingly likely that it was his decision to direct the use of a nerve agent on the streets of the UK, on the streets of Europe, for the first time since the Second World War," he said. At the same time, the British foreign secretary added that "we have nothing against the Russians themselves. There is to be no Russophobia as a result of what is happening.".