The last press release on the condition of Yulia Skripal and her father Sergei was published by the Metropolitan Police a month ago tomorrow – 11 April.
Since then, not a peep.
That release – which many considered to be oddly worded and possibly dictated by an official – claimed that Ms Skripal did not want Russian embassy personnel, or even family members, to even try to contact her and described her still-fragile condition. Sergei was no longer critical but was still too ill to leave hospital.
I have specially trained officers available to me, who are helping to take care of me and to explain the investigative processes that are being undertaken. I have access to friends and family, and I have been made aware of my specific contacts at the Russian Embassy who have kindly offered me their assistance in any way they can. At the moment I do not wish to avail myself of their services, but, if I change my mind I know how to contact them.
Most importantly, I am safe and feeling better as time goes by, but I am not yet strong enough to give a full interview to the media, as I one day hope to do. Until that time, I want to stress that no one speaks for me, or for my father, but ourselves. I thank my cousin Viktoria for her concern for us, but ask that she does not visit me or try to contact me for the time being. Her opinions and assertions are not mine and they are not my father’s.
For the moment I do not wish to speak to the press or the media, and ask for their understanding and patience whilst I try to come to terms with my current situation.
Are we to believe that there has been no change at all in their condition and no developments at all in their situation or recollections worth communicating to the public even in the most generic terms?
The SKWAWKBOX contacted the Met’s press office to find out whether any news was available, or at least planned, but was told nothing could be provided beyond the news on the force’s website – the 11 April release – and the Met declined to say when any update might be forthcoming.
This was a series of events that led to the mass expulsion of Russian diplomats from more than twenty countries – and still has areas of Salisbury closed off for decontamination.
Yet all we’ve been offered for a month is a strange silence.
The SKWAWKBOX needs your support. This blog is provided free of charge but depends on the generosity of its readers to be viable. If you can afford to, please click here to arrange a one-off or modest monthly donation via PayPal. Thanks for your solidarity so this blog can keep bringing you information the Establishment would prefer you not to know about.
If you wish to reblog this post for non-commercial use, you are welcome to do so – see here for more.