LONDON - Moscow's claim that Britain is to blame for damage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines is an attempt to distract from the situation in Ukraine and is part of the "Russian playbook", Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesman said on Tuesday.

Moscow on Tuesday reiterated its allegation that Britain was responsible for an attack on the Nord Stream undersea gas pipelines, adding it was considering what "further steps" to take in response. Britain has denied the claim.

"Obviously, we're carefully monitoring the situation, but it is right to not be drawn into these sorts of distractions which is part of the Russian playbook," Sunak's spokesman told reporters.

"They continue their indiscriminate bombardment of civilians and attacks on civilian infrastructure. That is our focus, and we will continue to provide support so that they lose this illegal war."

(Reporting by Alistair Smout. Editing by Andrew MacAskill)