Statement from Yulia Skripal comes only through police no info on what happened

(April 5) Finally there is a statement from Yulia Skripal but it comes not direct from her but the police on her behalf. Of course no reporters are allowed to speak to her or Russian officials who have asked to speak to her since she is a Russian citizen.

 

What is most obvious is that nothing at all is said about her recall of what happened. It is surely of the utmost importance to find out what her version of events is. Not a word about that. The statement is carefully orchestrated to make sure that nothing is said about that.

Yulia claims her condition is improving

She does report on her condition saying that her strength is growing daily. The UK Foreign Office said according to the BBC that she has not taken up the offer of Russian consular assistance. This is just added in I expect to excuse the UK officials from not allowing the consular visit during which she could disclose embarrassing information.

Notice that no reporters or any friends or relatives have been allowed so far to visit her. Her cousin Viktoria in Russia wants to come to visit her and has sought a visa to do so but it is unlikely that even if she does get to the UK she will be allowed to visit. The issue is discussed in the purported phone call to her by Yulia of which a video is appended.

The police release quotes Yulia as saying that she was grateful for the many messages of goodwill she had received and said: "I woke up over a week ago now and am glad to say my strength is growing daily. I have many people to thank for my recovery and would especially like to mention the people of Salisbury that came to my aid when my father and I were incapacitated, Further than that, I would like to thank the staff at Salisbury District Hospital for their care and professionalism. I am sure you appreciate that the entire episode is somewhat disorientating, and I hope that you'll respect my privacy and that of my family during the period of my convalescence."

It is almost as if the last sentence were dictated. It is exactly what is needed. No one should come asking pertinent questions about what happened. After all, she is disoriented and her privacy must be honored. It is what the police want. As I said, everything must be kept under wraps.

Yulia's alleged phone call with her cousin in Russia

Another recent event relative to the Skripal affair is a video from Russian TV that purports to be the audio of a telephone call from Yulia to her cousin Viktoria in Russia.

The BBC does its required hatchet job on the report: "Earlier on Thursday, Russian TV aired a recording of an alleged phone conversation between Ms Skripal and her cousin. However, doubts have been cast on how authentic the recording is; the presenters of the programme themselves said they had been unable to verify it. "

The BBC is careful not to say that it was Julia speaking: The woman described as Yulia says: "Everything is ok. He [her father] is resting now, having a sleep. Everyone's health is fine, there's nothing that can't be put right. I will be discharged soon. Everything is ok." This does not fit in with what the official story is of her father's health which is that he is in critical but stable condition.

However, the Russian news agency Fax has said that the cousin had told them that she had spoken to Yulia and she had said that all was well. Interfax also said that Viktoria expressed surprise that the phone call came through as just a day before she had been told that she would not be allowed to speak to Julia. Surely this shows that Viktoria was one party in the two party phone call. How come Viktoria has not been asked to verify the authenticity of the video? Or has she?

As in her statement to the police, Yulia says nothing about what happened. If the phone call did take place then it was probably with the consent of UK authorities. The only part that perhaps reflects negatively on the UK is that part where Yulia says that Victoria will not likely get a visa but she does not really blame the UK directly so much as to just say that the present situation makes it not possible.

We will have to wait and see if Viktoria gets a visa to go to the UK and if the does whether she will be able to visit Yulia. So far no one who might ask embarrassing questions has apparently visited her. It is unlikely that anyone will do so even though it is a whole month now since the attack and apparently Yulia is reasonably well recovered. Release of any information is to be strictly controlled. Up to now, Yulia's talk comes through the police who no doubt ensure that what is said does not reveal anything.

Meanwhile the official narrative about where the poisoning occurred, the newest one of several, is that the chemical agent was on the front door of their house. Somehow the agent which is supposed to act almost immediately didnt take effect until hours later on a park bench. Even then neither were killed. Surely the only plausible explanation is that it was done by incompetent stupid Russians who forgot that only they could be the source of the agent and were incapable of delivering it properly to cause death.

Previously  published in Digital Journal;