Theresa May has summoned her key security team to hear the latest intelligence surrounding the nerve attack on a former Russian spy in Salisbury.
The crunch security briefing comes as the Prime Minister reportedly edges towards publicly accusing Russia of being involved in the attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
The Prime Minister is set to hold crunch talks on the Salisbury incident today amid increasing pressure to take tough action if a clear link to the Kremlin is established.
She summoned a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) on Monday, where ministers will be briefed on the latest information on Skripal and his daughter, who both remain critically ill in hospital.
The two collapsed eight days ago in the Wiltshire city after being exposed to the deadly nerve agent in a suspected assassination plot.
Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, who rushed to their aid, is in a serious but stable condition in the Salisbury District Hospital, where he is said to be conscious and talking.
The NSC brings together senior ministers from relevant departments and is attended by intelligence and military chiefs as required.
The meeting comes as The Times reported a government source saying police and security services have linked Moscow to the attempted killings.
If a link was made, the government could consider extraditing Russian diplomats and spies or imposing financial sanctions against individuals linked to the Kremlin.
The Government could also consider withdrawing of official representation from the World Cup being hosted by Russia.
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On Sunday, hundreds of diners and pub-goers were urged to wash clothes and other items a week after potentially coming into contact with the nerve agent.
The "precautionary advice" was issued after traces of the substance were found in The Mill pub and the nearby Zizzi restaurant where Mr Skripal and his daughter had been before they fell ill.
England's chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies said she believed up to 500 people would have been in either of the two venues between the Sunday lunchtime and Monday night.
She said: "I want to reassure the general public that the risk to us all from this incident in Salisbury has not changed, and that the risk to us all remains low."
The advice included machine wash clothing worn on the day, and double-bagging items which would normally be dry cleaned to await further advice.
In other developments Wiltshire Police told residents "not to be alarmed" as counter-terror police were helped by Armed forces, including Royal Marines, in the clean-up operation.
Troops were seen removing eight marked and unmarked police cars Bourne Hill station as investigators in full protective gear bagged up items inside The Mill pub.
