Moscow wants role in investigation into poisoning of former snoop and his daughter
Vladimir Putin has demanded that Russian officials be given consular access to Yulia Skripal and that Russian law enforcement agencies take part in the investigation into her poisoning with a military-grade nerve agent.
Skripal and her father, Sergei, a former double agent who was released from a Russian prison in a spy swap with the UK in 2010, were poisoned with novichok in Salisbury in March.
British officials have blamed Russia for the attack, saying it was the first use of a military-grade nerve agent in Europe since the second world war.
The aftershocks of the incident continued to be felt on Thursday when London's diplomat to Moscow said that British consulate in St Petersburg had closedamid ongoing diplomatic strains between the two countries.
During a nationally broadcasted question-and-answer session on Thursday, Putin said:” We would very much like to be given access to our citizens, to Yulia in this case, and to be given the opportunity to take part in such investigations .”
Putin also claimed that both Skripal and her father “d have died” if a military-grade nerve agent was used.
The pair were found unconscious and critically unwell after the poisoning. Doctors were concerned they could die or suffer irreversible brain damage. Both eventually recovered to the point where they could be discharged from hospital.
Sergei Skripal has not spoken publicly about the attack. In a statement in May, his daughter asked for privacy.
The recovery had been” slow and highly painful”, she said, adding that she wanted to care for her father and eventually” return home to my country “.
She turned down pleas from the Russian government to discuss the case or offer consular assistance.
” I'm grateful for the offers of assistance from the Russian embassy but at the moment do not wish to avail myself of their services ,” she said in a handwritten statement released by Reuters.
Putin's remarks came during a four-hour call-in show he holds each year. This year state television also broadcast a live creek of his cabinet and governors, mayors and heads of major country companies, whom Putin could address or criticise on air if he saw fit.
Sharp questions or criticisms of both governments sometimes appear during the broadcasts (” Maybe you're tired and you need a remainder ?” one spectator wrote in last year ), but there is little chance for follow-up questions as Putin dominates the sessions, projecting an image of a state executive fixing the country one issue at a time.
During Thursday's broadcast, he needled Europe over Donald Trump's imposition of steel tariffs, saying he had cautioned western leaders but no one had pushed back.” Now you've been hit. Sit down and eat please .”
He also warned Ukraine against military operations during Russia's upcoming football World Cup. Any offensive would have been able to” grave consequences for Ukrainian statehood”, he said. Russia is supporting separatists in south-east Ukraine.
Speaking about the Ukrainian film-maker Oleg Sentsov, who has been jailed in Russia on terrorism charges and is on hunger strike, Putin said he would not trade Sentsov for a Russian journalist recently detained in Kiev on snooping charges. Sentsov is demanding the release of all Ukrainian political prisoners from Russia. Thursday was the 25 th day of Sentsov's hunger strike, and advocates say he will die soon if it continues.
Putin also utilized recent tensions with the UK to suggest that wealthy Russian business people, often called oligarchs, bringing their fund back to Russia.
Russian tycoons have been spooked by the delay faced by Roman Abramovich, one of Russia's richest men and the owner of Chelsea football club since 2003, in renewing his UK visa.
Russian officials believe Abramovich was targeted after the Skripal incident because of his high profile and his support for Putin.
Putin said he had warned Russian business people” somewhat rudely” in a private session several years ago that they were putting themselves in danger by investing in London.
” I warned that what we are seeing now was possible ,” he said.” I recommended that our business keep its capital at home, hold its capital where it was earned, and use it in order to develop the Russian economy .”
Abramovich has received Israeli citizenship, which allows him entry into the UK but not the right to do business there.
Read more: www.theguardian.com
