Former Russia's foreign military intelligence agency (GRU) officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter, who live in the UK, were found unconscious near a shopping center in Salisbury on March 4, 2018. According to preliminary estimates of the British investigators, they were poisoned with the neuro-paralytic substance "Novice".
Almost immediately, without waiting for the outcome of the investigation, British Prime Minister Theresa May accused the Russian security services of trying to kill Skripal. The British press immediately agreed with the May's message and burst out criticism of Moscow. As much as the Kremlin was accused of attempting to assassinate a former GRU officer, who in 1995 was recruited by British intelligence. Later, Skripal was convicted in Russia for espionage, but he was imprisoned for less than four years. The unmasked spy, along with three Russian citizens who also served a sentence for cooperation with foreign intelligence services, was exchanged for ten Russia's intelligence officers detained in the US. After that Skripal firmly settled in the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, the obvious haste with which Britain accused Russia has forced many experts, including in the EU countries, to doubt the version of the British authorities. For example, many Swedish journalists and experts, pointing to the unfoundedness of the London's accusations, call for an objective and thorough investigation.
Such as Swedish journalist Patrick Paulov on the pages of the newspaper "Proleteren" holds unequivocal parallels between the current British Prime Minister Theresa May and one of her predecessors Tony Blair. According to him, Blair also unfoundedly accused the Iraqi authorities of producing chemical weapons in 2002. However, even after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime, London was unable to prove anything.
"Sixteen years later, Theresa May is about to make a Tony Blair's mistake. She spreads unexplained accusations to demonize the country that is the enemy for the moment", the journalist suggested.
In explaining his thinking, the Swedish journalist recalled that during the Soviet period the neuro-paralytic substance "Novice" has been produced in the Uzbek city of Nukus. After the Soviet Union's collapse, US military experts helped the authorities of independent Uzbekistan close the chemical laboratory.
"Does anyone believe that the United States did not benefit from its presence in Nukus?Undoubtedly, some containers with chemical residues from the laboratory were taken to the United States for further investigation", Paulov considers.
The journalist does not exclude that Vil Mirzayanov, a former Soviet chemical laboratory official, who has been living in the US for two decades, involved by the American security services for this "ticklish action".
"He was one of those who made the neuro-paralytic substance "Novice" and revealed its existence in the early 1990s. He has lived for decades in the United States and is active at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Does anyone believe that the US Military Laboratory has not benefited from Mirzayanov's knowledge?", he's being ironic.
Paulov also wondered why the Russian security services released Skripal, if they considered it so dangerous for the Kremlin. And, finally, why did Moscow decide to kill the traitor only eight years later – on the eve of the presidential elections and shortly before the start of the Soccer World Cup-2018 in Russia.
In addition, Swedish expert on chemical and biological weapons Amy E. Smithson in an interview with the newspaper "Aftonbladet" emphasized that the poison may be falling into the hands of professional killers in the "dashing 90s". According to her, then Russia's criminal groups had virtually unlimited access to chemical laboratories. In turn, a long time working in business and acquired a bunch of enemies, Skripal could well become a victim of the usual criminal disassembly.
"One cannot rule out that, given the poor security of Russian chemical weapons factories in the early 1990s. Especially if it has been about small amounts.
Reuters takes up an old case that occurred in Moscow in 1995. Bankruptcy director Ivan Kivelidi and his secretary were found dead at Kivelidi's office. Investigators found nervousness on a telephone handset at the office. A person who worked at a chemical weapons factory later recognized that he had sold the nerve", Amy E. Smithson said.
Her opinion is completely shared by the Swedish journalist Wolfgang Hansson. He said that the Yeltsin government, against the backdrop of chaos, simply did not control the stockpiles of chemical weapons, so some poisonous substances could get into another's countries. The expert draws attention to the fact that the United Kingdom's authorities inappropriately hurried with the conclusions about the Kremlin's involvement in poisoning a former GRU officer and his daughter.
Obviously, the British establishment does not want to thoroughly understand all the subtleties of what happened. Similarly, London does not seek an frank and open dialogue with Moscow. However, the authorities of the "foggy Albion", carried away by the unfolding of "anti-Russian hysteria", have ceased to notice that their arguments do not find support and understanding even among the expert community of European countries.
