Recovering daughter of ex-spy poisoned in UK makes first comment after attack

[webfact]

Recovering daughter of ex-spy poisoned in UK makes first comment after attack

By Michael Holden and Andrey Ostroukh

 

An undated photograph shows Yulia Skripal, daughter of former Russian Spy Sergei Skripal, taken from Yulia Skripal's Facebook account in London, Britain, April 6, 2018. Yulia Skripal/Facebook via REUTERS

 

LONDON/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Yulia Skripal on Thursday made her first public comments since being poisoned in Britain last month with her father, a Russian former double-agent, saying she was getting stronger by the day but shedding no new light on the incident.

 

Yulia and Sergei Skripal, 66, were found slumped unconscious on a public bench in the English city of Salisbury on March 4. Britain said they were poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent, the first known use of such a toxin on European soil since World War Two.

 

London has blamed Russia for the attempted murder while Moscow denies any involvement. The incident has had major diplomatic ramifications, with mass expulsions of Russian and Western diplomats.

 

"We have told our British colleagues that 'you're playing with fire and you'll be sorry'," Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Thursday that Moscow had requested.

 

"We didn't do it, we're not guilty," Nebenzia said.

 

British U.N. Ambassador Karen Pierce told the Security Council that Britain's actions "stand up to any scrutiny" and pledged to keep the 15-member body updated on the inquiry.

 

"We have nothing to hide ... but I do fear that Russia might have something to fear," Pierce said.

 

Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelley Currie told the council: "We have stated previously and do so again today our firm belief that Russia is responsible for this chemical weapons attack on U.K. soil".

 

The attack left the Skripals in critical condition and doctors had initially feared that even if they did survive, they might have suffered permanent brain damage.

 

But while her father remains stable in intensive care, Yulia's health has improved rapidly. On Thursday she issued a statement through British police to thank hospital staff and people who came to her help when "when my father and I were incapacitated".

 

Her recovery means she can help British counter-terrorism police with their investigation although she did not give any details about what had happened in her brief remarks.

 

Britain's Foreign Office said she had been offered assistance by Russia's embassy but had so far declined.

 

"I woke up over a week ago now and am glad to say my strength is growing daily. I am grateful for the interest in me and for the many messages of goodwill that I have received," said Yulia, 33.

 

"I am sure you appreciate that the entire episode is somewhat disorientating, and I hope that you'll respect my privacy and that of my family during the period of my convalescence."

 

Hours before the statement issued by British police, Russian state TV and Interfax reported that Yulia had phoned her cousin Viktoria Skripal in Russia, saying she and her father were both recovering and that she expected to leave hospital soon.

 

"Everything is fine, everything is fixable, everyone is getting better, everyone is alive," they quoted her as saying in the call.

 

Asked about her father's health, Yulia was cited as saying: "Everything is fine, he is resting right now, sleeping ... nobody has any problems that can't be put right."

 

Russian state TV said it could not vouch for the authenticity of the quotes. Viktoria Skripal has said she plans to travel to England if she can get a visa.

 

DIPLOMATIC LOW

 

Police believe the nerve agent was left on the front door of the home in Salisbury where Skripal, a military intelligence colonel who betrayed dozens of Russian agents to Britain's MI6 spy service, lived after he was freed in a spy swap.

 

The attack has driven Moscow's relations with the West to a new post-Cold War low, with Britain and its allies, including the United States, expelling about 130 diplomats and the Kremlin responding in kind.

 

On Wednesday, Russia lost its call for a joint inquiry to be held into the poisoning at a meeting of global watchdog the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

 

Moscow's ambassador to London Alexander Yakovenko said on Thursday Russia had never made Novichok, the Soviet-era nerve agent which British experts say was the toxin used.

 

He said the Kremlin would accept the results of OPCW tests but only if there was transparency and they were confirmed by experts from outside Europe and NATO.

 

While scientists at the Porton Down biological and chemical weapons laboratory near Salisbury have concluded the toxin was Novichok, its chief executive said on Tuesday they had not yet determined whether it was made in Russia.

 

That prompted even some allies to say London needs to provide more evidence of Russian culpability.

 

Britain says there is no plausible explanation other than that Russia was behind the attack and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has accused Russia of running a disinformation campaign.

 

A number of Russians have died in mysterious circumstances in Britain in recent years including dissident Alexander Litvinenko who was poisoned with a rare radioactive isotope in 2006. A British inquiry concluded his murder had probably been ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

 

"We have a lot of suspicions about Britain," said Russian UK ambassador Yakovenko. "If you take the last 10 years, so many Russian citizens died here in the UK, under very strange circumstances ... My question is why is it happening here?"

 

(Additional reporting by Estelle Shirbon and William James in London, Michelle Nichols at the United Nations and Paul Carrel in Berlin; Editing by Catherine Evans and James Dalgleish)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-04-06

[CharlesSwann]

Britain was obliged to release this after Russia got that phonecall by Yulia out first.

Elsewhere is Britain's statement on the fate of Skripal's cat and guinea pigs - which were found dead/dying after the house had been sealed - this was also as a result of Russia pressing the matter first.

 

Russia is making Britain look like they are holding information back and have got Britain on the defensive.

Now they are suggesting that Britain has performed similar operations in Russia - and who can gainsay it? Interesting game.

[Slip]

2 minutes ago, CharlesSwann said:

Britain was obliged to release this after Russia got that phonecall by Yulia out first.

Elsewhere is Britain's statement on the fate of Skripal's cat and guinea pigs - which were found dead/dying after the house had been sealed - this was also as a result of Russia pressing the matter first.

 

Russia is making Britain look like they are holding information back and have got Britain on the defensive.

Now they are suggesting that Britain has performed similar operations in Russia - and who can gainsay it? Interesting game.

Putin is running rings around May in the same way as he has run rings around Trump.  You can't really blame him-  It's his job after all.  In fact he is deserving of (perhaps grudging) respect imo.

[CharlesSwann]

By being so secretive Britain is really screwing this up. They should have learned that lesson from the WMD fiasco.

And it was a terrible own goal of Britain to let the cat and GPs die - many British people wll care more about that than about the Russians.

[Thongkorn]

44 minutes ago, Slip said:

Putin is running rings around May in the same way as he has run rings around Trump.  You can't really blame him-  It's his job after all.  In fact he is deserving of (perhaps grudging) respect imo.

Ow do you know Russia is running rings around Britain.Britain has always kept its cards to its chest. Russia is clouding the waters to try and Make Britai ont to be the villain.Usualy Criminals sqeel the loudest when they get a taste of there on medicine 

Edited April 6, 2018 by Thongkorn

[Slip]

17 minutes ago, Thongkorn said:

Ow do you know Russia is running rings around Britain.Britain has always kept its cards to its chest. Russia is clouding the waters to try and Make Britai ont to be the villain.Usualy Criminals sqeel the loudest when they get a taste of there on medicine 

Apologies I should have preceded the post with "My perception is..."  However the fact that he is managing to muddy the waters quite so successfully is what I base that opinion on.  Unless of course he is in fact telling the truth and it is the UK government that is lying, in which case they are not making a very good job of it.  (Again in my opinion).

 

 

Edited April 6, 2018 by Slip

[manarak]

Quote

"Everything is fine, everything is fixable, everyone is getting better, everyone is alive," they quoted her as saying in the call.

 

Asked about her father's health, Yulia was cited as saying: "Everything is fine, he is resting right now, sleeping ... nobody has any problems that can't be put right."

 

makes one wonder if there has been a chemical attack at all  ?

 

[Billthekiwi]

17 hours ago, CharlesSwann said:

Britain was obliged to release this after Russia got that phonecall by Yulia out first.

Elsewhere is Britain's statement on the fate of Skripal's cat and guinea pigs - which were found dead/dying after the house had been sealed - this was also as a result of Russia pressing the matter first.

 

Russia is making Britain look like they are holding information back and have got Britain on the defensive.

Now they are suggesting that Britain has performed similar operations in Russia - and who can gainsay it? Interesting game.

Russian offensive is the best defence so the saying goes.

Me I think that they got caught with their pants down.

[Srikcir]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

Britain's Foreign Office said she had been offered assistance by Russia's embassy but had so far declined.

Yes, do come into the embassy for a spot of tea.

[maximillian]

40 minutes ago, car720 said:

Yulia and Sergei Skripal, 66, were found slumped unconscious on a public bench in the English city of Salisbury on March 4.

 

She doesn't look 66.  Not bad for her age.

 

Together they are 66...   No ? 

Or the numbers are upside down like 99

[evadgib]

17 hours ago, CharlesSwann said:

By being so secretive Britain is really screwing this up. They should have learned that lesson from the WMD fiasco.

And it was a terrible own goal of Britain to let the cat and GPs die - many British people wll care more about that than about the Russians.

- WMD was a yank fiasco in which B-liar followed suit. Lack of info in public domain this time is no indication that none exists.

- If this were Rabies the number of slaughtered pets would be in the tens of thousands.

[bristolboy]

 

8 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Yes, do come into the embassy for a spot of tea.

Does Boris take his cuppa with or without polonium?

[evadgib]

11 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Does Boris take his cuppa with or without polonium?

He'll need a beekeepers 'at?

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43680216

[sammieuk1]

7/11still out of nerve agent never mind Boris slash your throat. 

[IAMHERE]

So, the poloniam was delivered to the two at their home, that is why the GP and cat died?  Or did the PG and cats die because the house was sealed up by the Uk and they starved to death? 

[tropo]

On 4/6/2018 at 6:49 PM, Slip said:

Putin is running rings around May in the same way as he has run rings around Trump.  You can't really blame him-  It's his job after all.  In fact he is deserving of (perhaps grudging) respect imo.

I would have expected no less. Trump and May have less than 3 years leadership experience between them. Putin has been leading Russia for over 18 years, and he doesn't have the restrictions of US and UK leaders either.

[Stargeezr]

Russia is not in the Crimea, or Ukraine, and the Russian athletes do not take drugs,

and Russia has no hackers on computors, working day and night.  Yes Russia and

Putin is innocent!  Yes lets all believe what the Russians say... Yup, Yup..

That will be the day!

Geezer