British spy chief: 'Reckless' Russian behavior threatens West

May 14 (UPI) -- The head of Britain's top domestic intelligence agency on Monday warned that Russia is engaging in increasingly reckless behavior and attempting to undermine Western democracy.

Speaking to a conference of security chiefs in Germany Monday, MI5 Director-General Andrew Parker said the nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei and Skripal as an example of the "reckless" Russian government.

Skripal and daughter Yulia were hospitalized in March after they were attacked in Britain with the Soviet-era nerve agent novichok. Yulia has been released but Sergei Skripal is still recovering.

"The reckless attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal, using a highly lethal nerve agent, put numerous lives at risk, including that of his daughter," Parker said Monday, accusing the Kremlin of "flagrant breaches of international rules."

Britain, the United States and other Western nations say Russia was behind the attack. British and U.S officials expelled Russian diplomats in response, and Russia answered by removing British and U.S. diplomats from Moscow.

Parker said Russia risks becoming isolated internationally for its choices to engage in "deliberate, targeted, malign activity" intended to undermine free, open and democratic societies.

"Instead of becoming a respected great nation it risks becoming a more isolated pariah," Parker said.

After asking Moscow to shine a light through the "fog of lies" of its government, Russian diplomatic officials tweeted Monday Britain is "notorious for its fogs."