Russian ambassador to UK says happy Yulia Skripal recovering

LONDON: Russia’s ambassador to Britain, Alexander Yakovenko, said on Thursday he was happy to hear that Yulia Skripal, the daughter of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal, was recovering after she was poisoned a month ago in England.

Britain accuses the Russian state of being responsible for the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal with what it says was a military-grade Novichok nerve agent. Russia denies any involvement. The crisis has led to the worst diplomatic crisis between Russia and Western nations since the Cold War.

Yakovenko was part-way through a news conference at his official residence in London when Yulia Skripal said in a statement issued on her behalf by British police that she had woken up a week ago and her strength was growing daily.

Asked about the statement by a reporter, Yakovenko said: “I am really happy and I hope that Sergei Skripal will also recover. I am quite sure that one day Yulia will come back to Moscow.”