RUSSIA:Russia promised yesterday an "adequate and appropriate" response very soon to Britain's expulsion of four of its diplomats but said it did not want ordinary citizens or businessmen to suffer.
Britain said on Monday it was throwing out the diplomats in retaliation for Moscow's refusal to extradite the key suspect in the murder last year in London of former Russian security agent Alexander Litvinenko. Russia's constitution bans extradition.
"They are trying to punish us for following our own constitution," said Alexander Grushko, a Russian deputy foreign minister, in Moscow. "This is a direct path to confrontation."
He said Russia would inform British authorities very soon about its countermeasures.
British ambassador to Russia Tony Brenton voiced hopes business between the two former cold war foes would not suffer.
Britain says its request for the extradition of Andrei Lugovoy is based on evidence he poisoned Mr Litvinenko's tea in a London hotel last November with radioactive polonium. Mr Litvinenko died weeks later.
Mr Lugovoy says he was probably killed by Russian emigres or British intelligence.