EYE SPY INTELLIGENCE MAGAZINE 115 2018 39
that Russian President Vladimir Putin was
behind the poisoning. The Kremlin says the
accusation is “unforgivable.”Russia opens a probe into the “attempted
premeditated murder” of Yulia Skripal. It also
says it has begun a separate probe into the
suspected murder of Nikolai Glushkov.17 MARCHRussia formally issues a response to Britain’s
action, summoning UK Ambassador to
Russia, Laurie Bristow, to its Foreign Ministry
headquar ters in Moscow. Mr Bristow is told
that 23 British diplomats will be expelled and
that all activities of the British Council in
Russia should cease. He his advised that the
measures follow London’s “provocative
actions.”Russia’s Ambassador to the UK, Alexander
Yakovenko, described the events as “tragic”
and noted Britain should have involved RussiaSergei Skripal was exchanged along with three other MI6 and CIA agents, for 10 Russian
spies (above) operating in America, though some intelligence sources believe the actual
number could have been 11. The other Western agents freed were SVR Colonel Aleksandr
Zaporozhsky, Igor Sutyagin, a nuclear specialist, and Gennady Vasilenko.THE FBI’S OPERATION GHOST STORIES
more because Sergei Skripal has dual
nationality. Like his associates in Moscow, he
said that the UK has no evidence Skripal was
killed on the instructions of Moscow, andlaunched into a blistering attack of “Britain’s
violation of international law and misleading
the international community.” He referenced
“invading Yugoslavia, (78 days of bombing),
Iraq and Libya (under false pretexts) and
suppor ting elements in Ukraine.” At aSVR spy Anna Chapman unwittingly starts
to chat to an undercover FBI agentBritish Embassy, Moscow. On 23 March
UK intelligence officers, diplomats and
their families exited the building and were
flown home (inset)Russia’s Ambassador to Britain,
Alexander YakovenkoA canopy covers the
bench where the Skripals
were found in distress©PETER CURBISHLEY