Two men accused by London of poisoning former Moscow spy Sergei Skripal denied involvement in the murder attempt in a bizarre Russian media interview that Britain dismissed as "an insult to the public's intelligence".

Speaking with the head of the Kremlin-backed RT news network, the pair confirmed they were the men whose pictures British authorities released this month, but insisted they were visiting the English city of Salisbury as tourists. However, the interview by two accused has prompted mockery and derision on social media — led by Britain's foreign minister.