Is there a thread about the poisoning of Skripal? [title edited by MNHQ]

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

I've not seen a thread about it at all, but surely there must be?

To be honest, without US/EU/NATO support, anything the UK does will have limited affect..hence why Putin thinks he can get away with this. As others have said before there is a reason a nerve agent was used on this attack, it is a calling card from Putin to say that Russia can do as it pleases. Hard to disagree just now! And scarier too if you believe that Russia has control over Trump...

Yup. Go after the money. Vlad probably would be not terribly annoyed with that as well - oligarchs having bases and citizenships here means they are less under his control. The law is already in place, in terms of UWOs (unexplained wealth orders) it just needs the balls to enforce it

And it will take balls, because these are some very rich, very powerful and very unpleasant people.

Without the US imposing the sanctions that Congress has passed, I don't see how any financial sanctions we pass will have much impact.

I remember reading (or hearing) that great Russian leaders like to leave a legacy of their achievements. Dimbleby book or the recent Reeve series
Putin wants to be up there with the best. He has no doubt 'read, learnt and inwardly digested' The art of War. A very ancient Chinese script.
He knows his enemy and has perhaps neutralised America. An emasculated USA will do nothing to help Europe.
Trump is focused on China and PRK at the moment.
Perhaps the Baltic states ought to be alarmed too?
Who's going to stop Putin?

can you have a neurotoxin encased in something that gradually wears away until it is exposed to air/contact with skin?

They had the restaurant closed did they not after the event?...so unlikely others were at the same table

No. The pair were found on the bench about 4pm on Sunday afternoon, and had been to The Mill and Zizzi's before that, but no-one knew till much later on what their movements had been, prior to being found. Consequently, the Mill and Zizzi's were not cordoned off until Monday evening. Up until that point, those establishments had been functioning as normal, with members of the public using them, completely unaware of possible contamination.

Just been to Waitrose for petrol and drove back through the central car park and city...the police have now cordoned off all the entrances to Sainsburys...this is getting more strange every day

I watched them do it not long after 4

www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/03/us-russia-nato-uk/555407/

When there were terrorist attacks in the UK by Islamic extremists, Trump took to twitter within minutes to criticise London's (muslim) mayor. Yet, a WMD attack on its closest ally..and 7 days later - nothing?

Oh dear, this really has been terribly managed on a local basis. Very scary for the locals. Baby wipes? FFs!

Whatever is to be done? One needs to hear from military experts not bumbling Boris. I hope lessons are learnt about protecting others in the ongoing investigation.

Trump quiet. Skirpal was involved with the trump dossier about the blonde ones love of golden showers? Have I got that right? I thought Putin might approve of that but am sure there are much murkier shenanigans afoot.

With talk of poisoned umbrella tips its all very surreal and the thought of innocent people and friends being affected or possibly worse by silly mens spy games just 20 miles from me is making me abit angry tbh.

Beginning to think Putin must think we are a right load of wallies the way this investigation is being handled.

"You don't earn a high level assassination attempt like this just because you were a spy a couple of decades ago, particularly if you have already done time in Russia for it and were voluntarily exchanged."

I think I read in the telegraph or the FT that he had been giving lectures in general Russian modus operandi, so still assisting British intelligence. Not about current activities, presumably, as he was out of those circles....presumably.

But you have to wonder about the comings and goings of Yulia. That she thought she was safe to go back and live in Russia after her father was swapped, to come and go without surveillance.

Disclaimer: speculation and conspiracy theories:

What if Skripal wasn't actually the victim but the perpetrator? What if he had been swapped as a double deal - to spy here? Coming to live so close to Porton Down...his Dd bringing ingredients and instructions?

The only way I think the Americans would be implicated would be if again, whist he was in prison he had been re-recruited to Russia, sent here to wreak havoc against the U.S elections and now the Americans have attempted an assassination that looks like the Russians. Orchestrated from within Porton Down between the CIA and MI6.

I've only just finished work, so I'm catching up. So, the Russians have til tomorrow night to fess up?

Patriarchy -good call on the type of nerve agent.

"Skirpal was involved with the trump dossier about the blonde ones love of golden showers?"

ORBIS have denied any link to him (assuming here the report I read was accurate) and I think they would be foolish to do that, when under the spotlight, if he were a source. Though if he were in touch with Russian emigres, then who knows what he might have got muddled up with.

Yes, second what OYBBK said, good call, Patriarchy.

You saved everyone on this thread from googling today.

**

I’ve wondered this too. Along with why the British are always expats, not migrants....

They may have survived, but that doesn't mean that they are "unpunished" in the eyes of the poisoners.

This is speculation, but as I understand it if a nerve agent caused respiratory failure, and this was severe enough for someone to come close to death, surely there is a high risk of serious brain damage?

So even if the pair survive, they may well never recover.
I would assume the aim was to kill them, but permanently and severely disabling them would not be viewed as entirely unsuccessful.

There are far easier, cleaner ways to have someone assasinated than this. It was done in such a way as to send a message.

I am interested in what exactly post EU Global UK is going to do to frighten those nasty Russians, given Europe is so reliant on their gas to heat our homes and Russian money to prop up London property market.

May was hot on the rhetoric, perhaps too hot, given the ruskis wont give a scooby whether we send a football team or not.

Would it be useful to split this tread into a) The drug and the local/GB response and b) The action itself and the global response.
No, perhaps not.
georgedawes I seem to be thinking along the same lines.

Beginning to think Putin must think we are a right load of wallies the way this investigation is being handled

Um, putting Boris as FS would have given that one away

This misses the point of the thread I expect but can a car park really have a risk of being dangerous? Or is it more part of tracing useful evidence? As I have parked in the upper bit they just closed off twice already this week .

It feels very strange / awful not least as we were on a bench nearby when it happened as it wasn’t cold and the whole thing seems surreal

It seems as though a ticket machine may be contaminated. Hence the carpark being closed off.
So it was on their hands then.

Ah ok, thanks. I wonder why they parked in the top bit unless going into Sainsburies or the cash machine there as it’s just as easy to park underneath?

I suspect people have different favourite spots. Dh likes to drive up up and up through car parks for no apparent reason til sometimes I wonder if we might end up parking in the stratosphere.

I have a theory that the attempted murder of the Skripals was actually done to taunt the USA & unfortunately the UK is being played, our country is collateral damage.
Putin is seeing how far he can push Trump. With all the alleged stuff he has on Trump he can push him horizontal & back again..........unless Trump sacrifices himself for his country. Can you really see that happening? Yet stranger things have happened.