TOBY MUSE WASHINGTON DC "Russia has ordered more British envoys to leave the country, as a crisis deepens over the poisoning of a former spy in Britain."

A coalition of the UK, the US and at least two dozen other mainly Western countries have expelled more than 150 Russians. Russia is promising to respond and Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned ambassadors from the UK, Germany, France and others. Russia ordered the UK to reduce its number of diplomats to the same level Russia now has in London.

Earlier this month, Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats following the poisoning of the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter by a nerve agent. The UK, backed by a host of other western countries, blames Russia for the poisoning. Russia denies it was responsible. The US has expelled 60 Russian diplomats and ordered the closing of Russia's consulate in Seattle. Russia has reacted by demanding the U.S. close its consulate in St. Petersburg and expelling U.S. diplomatic personnel.

TOBY MUSE WASHINGTON DC "The tit for tat expulsions show just how frayed relations are between Russia and the West, leading some to wonder whether this is the beginning of a new Cold War. Toby Muse, CGTN, Washington."