Note: In the first report that was released by the Press, Fentanyl was mentioned as first substance that may have caused the symptoms. Now, it is being claimed that the "Unknown Substance" is a deadly nerve agent.
Local reports have claimed that emergency services believe the substance to be fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid commonly used as an anesthetic, but also is commonly mixed with heroin and sold as an illegal recreational drug. https://sputniknews.com/europe/201803061062259899-uk-double-agent-contamination-unknown/
This situation with Sergei Skripal and his daughter does seem - to be part of a larger clandestine operation, of sorts. I'm reminded of Kim Jong-nam, the half brother of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un who was killed on February 13 (2017) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport by a highly toxic gas that was smeared on his face, as he was about to board a flight to Macau. Ironically, Kim Jong-nam’s death corresponded with -
North Korean senior representatives preparing to come to New York to meet with former US officials, a chance for both sides to discuss differences diplomatically, hopefully leading to direct talks with Trump officials. Instead, North Korea was blamed for Kim Jong-nam’s death.
Now, a Russian Double Agent is in critical condition after exposure to an ‘Unknown Substance’ (06.03.2018) and Russia is being blamed. All this - just days before the announcement that North Korea's Kim Jong-un is willing to talk with President Trump. Is it possible that there are common elements behind the two incidences?
The Dubious Story of the Murder of Kim Jong-nam, Brother of DPRK Leader Kim Jong-un
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-dubious-story-of-the-murder-of-kim-jong-nam-brother-of-dprk-leader-kim-jong-un/5578256
https://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,43836.0.html
* Why was the South Korean government the first country to come out quickly after Kim’s February 13 death to blame North Korea for murdering him with the VX nerve weapon – before Malaysia had determined anything? The Malaysian autopsy was not complete until February 23, ten days later.
* The two women did not wear gloves, but had the liquid directly on their hands. “The police said the four North Korean suspects who left the country the day of the killing put the VX liquid on the women’s hands.” They later washed it off. Why did none of them die or even get sickened by it? No reports say they went to the hospital.
* DPRK’s Ri Tong-il said in his statement, “How is it possible” the two ladies survived? “How is it possible” no single person in the airport got contaminated? “How is it possible” no nurse, no doctor, no police escorting Kim after the attack were affected?
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has commented on the UK's claims of Moscow's alleged involvement in Sergei Skripal's poisoning, US threats to attack Syrian government forces and his view on the de-escalation zones in Syria.
Lavrov: UK Rejects Russia's Demand on Granting Access to Skripal Case Docs 13.03.2018
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201803131062474225-russia-uk-materials-skripal-case/
Skripal Case
Lavrov has stated that the UK should abide by the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and provide Russia with access to the samples of the nerve-agent which was allegedly used to poison Sergei Skripal and his daughter.
"As soon as the rumors, fed by the British leadership, about the fact that the substance produced in Russia was involved in the poisoning of Skripal appeared, we immediately requested access to this substance so that our experts could analyze it in accordance with the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons," he said at a news conference.
The minister stressed that the UK's obligations under the Convention imply that if there are any suspicions that a poisonous substance prohibited by the Convention was used, then the state suspected of producing it needs to be contacted, since this state has the right to receive access to the substance in order to analyze it on its own. However, Moscow has not received any requests of this kind from London, according to the diplomat.
Lavrov noted that Moscow had requested access to all the facts and documents connected with the investigation, since one of the victims is Yulia Skripal, a Russian citizen. According to the minister, Russia's demands were rejected by the UK.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesperson, in turn, said that Russian response would be considered by National Security Council on Wednesday and before then London was not going to comment.
On Monday, May said that Russia was "highly likely" responsible for the suspected poisoning of Skripal. May said that the substance, used in the incident, was identified as a military-grade nerve agent from the so-called Novichok group developed in Russia.
The UK delegation to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons also told the organization’s executive council that it was "highly likely" that Russia was implicated in the use of chemical weapons, "whether by failure to control its own materials or by design."
In turn, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has described the prime minister's remarks as a "circus show in the UK's Parliament."
Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious last week on a bench at a shopping center in Salisbury. Both of them remain in critical condition and are being treated for suspected exposure to a chemical substance. UK police and MI5 Security Service would carry out an inquiry into the allegations of Russian state involvement in a number of deaths in the United Kingdom, UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd said.
Consequences of Possible US Strike on Syria's Government Troops 'Would Be Very Serious'
Commenting on the threats from the US to attack Syrian government troops, the minister said that "if there is another strike of this kind, the gravest consequences will follow."
Lavrov also told the journalists that after the reports of a chemical attack in Syria's Khan Sheikhoun in April 2017 appeared he received a phone call from US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who asked for help in getting access for experts to the scene. "We agreed with Damascus that such access would be granted. When we gave this information to Washington, they said that "it was no longer necessary" and immediately conducted a strike," the minister added.
The statement comes a day after US Envoy to UN Nikky Haley threatened a Washington strike against Damascus in the case of chemical weapons' use in Syria. According to Haley, the United States struck at the Shairat airbase, after a chemical attack in Syria's Khan Sheikhoun on April 4, 2017, as the UN Security Council "was unable to take action."
Earlier in the day, the Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov said that
Moscow had reliable information about militants preparing to falsify a government chemical attack against civilians. He noted that "in several districts of Eastern Ghouta, a crowd had been assembled with women, children and old people, brought in from other regions, who were to represent the victims of the chemical incident."
On March 12, Syrian government forces found a clandestine workshop for the manufacture of chemical munitions while sweeping through the village of Aftris in Eastern Ghouta after militants withdrew from the community.
On February 26, the Anadolu Agency reported that the infamous White Helmets, who have constantly falsified facts and information, claimed that the Syrian Government had deployed chlorine gas against the town of Al-Shifoniya in Eastern Ghouta.
When commenting on allegations of the Syrian army's use of chlorine in Eastern Ghouta, Syrian President Bashar Assad said that they are aimed at justifying an attack on Damascus.
Damascus has constantly denied being in possession of chemical weapons, the destruction of which had been confirmed by the OPCW report.
On De-escalation Zones in Syria
Lavrov expressed doubt that it's necessary to increase the number of de-escalation zones in Syria, since it would be more helpful to focus on the ceasefire regime in the safe zones and especially in Eastern Ghouta.
According to the minister, the issue of de-escalation zones will be discussed at the meeting of foreign ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey on March 16 in Astana.
The ceasefire regime was introduced across Syria after on February 24, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2401 which urges all conflicting parties to immediately stop all hostilities and adhere to a long-term humanitarian pause in Syria in order to ensure the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, as well as medical evacuation of those injured. Russia also proposed an initiative of organizing a five-hour daily humanitarian pause to ensure humanitarian supplies and evacuations from the area.
In September 2017, three states, acting as the guarantors of the Syrian ceasefire — Turkey, Iran and Russia — announced the creation of four safe zones in Syria: in the south along the border with Jordan, in Eastern Ghouta, to the north of Homs and in the Idlib province. The sides also reached agreement on the rules of operation in buffer zones, checkpoints and observation posts, as well as the rules of engagement for units of the de-escalation control force.
Sputnik spoke with former Kremlin adviser Alexander Nekrassov to get insight into Sergei Skripal's poisoning in Salisbury and to clarify the immediate response of British authorities, who appear to be ignoring the simple fact that the Porton Down chemical lab near where the incident happened stores samples of the nerve agent Novichok.
'Every Laboratory in the West Has Samples of 'Novichok' Nerve Agent' - Analyst 14.03.2018
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201803141062498438-uk-novichok-nerve-agent-skripal/
Sputnik: It seems like Theresa May rushed to throw down the gauntlet, in asking Moscow to explain the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, especially after the investigation is not complete…what affect does this have on an already volatile relationship between the UK and Russia?
Alexander Nekrassov: First of all it is very odd that the British authorities haven’t given the police and authorities evidence from their investigation. It’s important to note that investigations into chemical weapon use usually take at least a month. It was very strange to hear Theresa May coming into the commons accusing Russia and using ultimatum language such as ‘you will explain yourselves to us on the deadline on this day. If not you’re guilty’. I’m sorry this not language does not work in a modern diplomacy – this is not even civil.
The Russian government will obviously not reply and why should it. It’s not a matter for the Russian government to be concerned about. The British authorities have a situation on their territory; they are obliged to investigate it, produce some sort of proof and then come out with this proof. What we’re seeing now is a farce and especially a farce concerning the media, which is out of control in Britain.
Sputnik: Lavrov has stated that the UK should abide by the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and provide Russia with access to the samples of the nerve-agent which was allegedly used to poison Sergei Skripal and his daughter… will Lavrov's words of reason resonate with Theresa May?
Alexander Nekrassov: I think Lavrov had a fair point to make that the British government, if it’s already making allegations, should provide proof that this chemical was Russian made. That’s the first point, the second point is that the British government is saying that because the nerve agent is made in Russia and therefore Russia is behind the incident. I’m sorry but every laboratory in the West including Porton Down which is only 7 miles away from Salisbury, has a sample of this so called ‘Novichok’, Newcomer, as they called it.
They use these samples to produce the antidotes, so why isn’t this Porton Down facility being investigated? Why aren’t the people who work there being investigated and asked if they have lost a sample of this weapons grade chemical? This is very bizarre for the British government to come up with this ultimate without a single ounce of proof saying its highly like, and I must stress ‘highly likely’ that Russia is behind this… I’m sorry this is childish. This isn’t propaganda is some petty bitterness I would say.
Sputnik: Is there a likely explanation for this attack which isn’t just simply pointing fingers at Russia without any solid evidence?
Alexander Nekrassov: There are so many options. In a civilised manner the police and the intelligence services should have said they were looking at different options. That is the civilised way. There are rouge agents of a different nation that have gotten access to this particular nerve agent and used it for some sort agenda such as slander and tarnish Russia or cause friction between Britain and Russia.
The Russian representatives have slammed UK Prime Minister Theresa May's allegations in the British parliament that it was "highly likely" that Russia was engaged in the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal in the British city of Salisbury.
Moscow Warns UK Against Delivering Ultimatums to Russia Over Skripal Case
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201803131062475702-russia-summons-uk-ambassador/
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday that Russia is calling on the UK to stop speaking in the language of ultimatums after Theresa May said Moscow had until Tuesday evening to explain its actions regarding the incident.
"Not a single person can come to the parliament and say: 'I give Russia 24 hours'; What kind of talk is that after all?" Zakharova said on the "60 minutes" program on Tuesday, commenting on Theresa's May speech regarding the case of ex-spy Sergei Skripal, who was poisoned in the British city of Salisbury.
Meanwhile, the Russian Embassy in the UK sent a note to the UK Foreign Office saying Moscow was not involved in the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and calling for a joint investigation into the matter.
Earlier in the day, the Russian Foreign Ministry handed over a note of protest to British Ambassador to Russia Laurie Bristow over the accusations of Moscow's engagement in Skripal's poisoning. British Prime Minister Teresa May has said Russia was "highly likely" involved in the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, calling the incident an "indiscriminate and irresponsible action against the United Kingdom." She ruled out "business as usual" with Moscow, warning the UK was ready to take more extensive measures against Russia.
"Any threats of 'sanctions' against Russia will not remain unanswered. This should be understood by the British," the Russian Foreign Ministry announced after Laurie Bristow met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov to discuss the issue.
The BBC has reportedly published a narrative of the piece by Russian journalist Yelizaveta Gerson about the alleged poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Britain.
Russian Journalist Covering Skripal Case Reveals She Was Threatened in UK (Video)
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201803131062470239-britain-skripal-russian-journalist-threats/
Yelizaveta Gerson, a correspondent from the London branch of the Russian television company NTV, has expressed alarm about threats she received after her coverage of the Skripal case.
The BBC has published a narrative of my story [about Skripal's alleged poisoning]. Shortly after, an unknown person — I hope just a psycho — wrote me a letter with the following warning: 'You, who earn in Russia with a pen, will die in Britain from a sword,'" Gerson was quoted by Russian media as saying.
She added that she had previously received "muck" via social networks, but that this violent open threat was the first of its kind. Gerson said that she had not turned to the police, hoping that the author was "just a psycho who has read a lot of the Daily Mail."
On Monday, the Russian embassy in the United Kingdom said that Russian journalists working in Britain have started receiving threats due to an anti-Russia campaign in the UK media, which began after the incident with Skripal.
According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Moscow has yet to be provided with any specific facts which could prove Russia's involvement in Skripal's alleged poisoning, which took place in Salisbury on March 5.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, for her part, described Britain's allegations about Moscow's involvement in the Salisbury incident as "groundless," urging London to meticulously investigate the case before blaming Russia.
