The Salisbury attack in March 2018 saw Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia poisoned by Russian nationals via the use of the Novichok nerve agent. Yulia regained consciousness and was able to speak. She was discharged from hospital on April 9, 2018, while Sergei was also in a critical condition until he regained consciousness one month after the attack. The violent act which took place on British soil saw Russia-UK relations severed.
Then Prime Minister Theresa May expelled 23 Russian diplomats from the UK 10 days after attack, laying down a statement of defiance to President Vladimir Putin in Russia.
Prime Minister Johnson, who at the time was Foreign Secretary, found himself embroiled in a war of words with the Kremlin.
Following the attack, Mr Johnson blamed the Russian President personally and lambasted the Kremlin.
He said: “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 World War 2.
“That is why we are at odds with Russia.”
Moscow, in typical fashion, didn’t shy away from a war of words with the British Government, slamming Mr Johnson’s comments as “unforgivable”.
The Kremlin said in their response: “Any reference or mention of our president in this regard is a shocking and unforgivable breach of diplomatic rules of decent behaviour.”
Amid the fallout, the Kremlin also referred to the then Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson as a “market wench”.
Major-General Igor Konashenkov, a Defence Ministry official, blasted Mr Williamson in the wake of the row over the attempted hit on Mr Skripal.
READ MORE: Russia war games: Black Sea Fleet fires terrifying cruise missiles
When a Labour MP said England should pull out of the tournament Mr Johnson replied: “I think that your characterisation of what is going to happen in Moscow, the World Cup, in all the venues – yes, I think the comparison with 1936 is certainly right. It is an emetic prospect of Putin glorying in this sporting event.”
Moscow denounced the words as “unacceptable and unworthy”.
Mr Johnson also criticised a gas pipeline linking Russia to Germany as “divisive and a threat”.
Now, as Mr Johnson enters Number 10 with a majority of 80, his government could be at the centre of fresh London-Moscow clashes.