Poisoned former Russian double agent wrote to Putin for PARDON, claims friend
THE ex Russian double agent Sergei Skripal, who is fighting for his life after a nerve gas attack in Salisbury had written to President Vladimir Putin asking to be pardoned and to be allowed to visit his home country, a friend has claimed.
Former classmate: Skripal wrote to Putin asking for pardon
Vladimir Timoshkov told the BBC Mr Skripal regretted being a double agent for Britain and wanted to visit his family.
In 2006, Mr Skripal was put behind bars by Russian authorities for leaking classified information to MI6 and came to Britain in 2010 as part of a spy swap deal, before settling down in Salisbury.
He and his daughter, 33-year-old Yulia Skripal remain in critical condition three weeks after they were targeted with the highly lethal nerve agent Novichok.
The attempted assassination sparked a diplomatic crisis between Britain and Russia with Theresa May accusing Russia of being behind the attack.
The Kremlin has denied involvement.
He denied he was a traitor…[he told me] he wrote to Vladimir Putin asking to be fully pardoned and to be allowed to visit Russia.
On Friday, EU leaders promised an “unprecedented” diplomatic response to the poisoning after backing Theresa May’s assertion that Moscow was responsible.
According to Mr Timoshkov, Mr Skripal, who he claims to have known since school, did not see himself as a traitor as he had sworn an oath to the former Soviet Union.
He said: “Many people shunned him. His classmates felt he had betrayed the Motherland.
“In 2012 he called me. We spoke for about half an hour. He called me from London.”
He added: “He denied he was a traitor…[he told me] he wrote to Vladimir Putin asking to be fully pardoned and to be allowed to visit Russia.
“His mother, brother and relatives were [in Russia].”
In what is being interpreted as a cynical move, Alexander Yakovenko, Russia’s ambassador to the UK, sent his well wishes to Mr Skripal and his daughter on Friday, saying he hoped for their recovery.
Mr Yakovenko also wrote to Wiltshire Police detective sergeant Bailey, who was left seriously ill after he was exposed to the nerve agent as he went to the aid of the Skripals.
On Friday, police officers in chemical protection suits removed the bench onto which the Skripals were found slumped unconscious after leaving Zizzi’s restaurant in Salisbury following the attack.
It is thought to have been taken to the Ministry of Defence’s Porton Down laboratory for further examination.