A former Russian agent who had been convicted for spying for Britain, Sergei Skripal, 66, along with a woman identified as being his daughter, Yulia Skripal, 33, were found collapsed on a bench at The Maltings shopping centre in Salisbury, Wiltshire on Sunday 4th March. As of 6th March at 5pm when this report was filed, they remain in hospital in a critical state, and police have stated that the duo had been exposed to an “unknown substance” and are trying to find out what the substance was that caused them harm. The pair had no visible injuries, however, police are investigating whether a crime had been committed.
Sergei Skripal, who was a former colonel in the Russian military intelligence, was sentenced by Russia in 2006 to 13 years in jail for passing the identities of Russian intelligence agents who were working undercover in Europe to MI6, UK's Secret Intelligence Service.
Skripal was one of the four prisoners to be released by Moscow in exchange for 10 Russian spies as part of a swap, who had been arrested by the FBI. He was later sent to the UK.
Top counter-terrorism officers in Britain along with specialist officers are now supporting the investigation by Wiltshire police.
In a radio interview, Scotland Yard's Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said, “It's a very unusual case and the critical thing is to get to the bottom of what's caused these illnesses as quickly as possible. If necessary we will bring that investigation into the counter-terrorism network. We're doing all the things you would expect us to do, we're speaking to witnesses, we're taking forensic samples at the scene, we're doing toxicology work and that will help us to get to an answer. I can't say any more at this stage.”
Freya Church, an eyewitness saw the duo sitting on the bench. She explained to the BBC, “An older guy and a younger girl. She was sort of leant in on him, it looked like she had passed out maybe. He was doing some strange hand movements, looking up to the sky... They looked so out of it I thought even if I did step in I wasn't sure how I could help.”
CCTV footage are being examined by police, which shows an unidentified man and woman walking near to where Skripal and his daughter were found.
Russia reiterates that it has “no information” on what could have led to the occurrence of this incident. However, it says that it is open to cooperate in the police investigation if requested. Spokesman for Russian President Vladmir Putin, Dmitry Peskov told journalists, “We see this tragic situation but we don't have information on what could have led to this, what he was engaged in.” Peskov also told journalists that Moscow was prepared to help in the investigation.
In 2006, a Russian dissident and former intelligence officer Alexander Litvinenko, died in London after consuming tea allegedly laced with radioactive substances. His widow, Marina Litvinenko expressed in an interview on the radio, “It just shows how we need to take it seriously, all of these people asking for security and for safety in the UK.”
