The Russia-UK poisoning row threatens to put renewed strain on the two countries’ deep-seated energy ties, illustrated by some of the first ever LNG shipments from Russia’s vast new Yamal LNG facility now arriving in the UK. The UK has yet to announce steps against Russia following this month’s poisoning in the city of Salisbury, allegedly involving the use of a Russian nerve agent. But energy ties between the two countries are deep as well as fraught, and likely to weigh on the political calculus. The UK is less dependent than much of Europe on direct Russian energy supplies. But Russia’s new LNG shipments – the first was offloaded at the Isle of Grain in Kent in December before being reshipped to the US – underline Russia’s role as chief energy supplier to Europe. UK companies have long defended their own ties with Russia, which range from BP’s collaboration with Rosneft, to Shell’s role in the Nord Stream pipeline expansion.