This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/18/vladimir-putin-nonsense-to-think-russia-would-poison-spy-in-uk
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Vladimir Putin: 'nonsense' to think Russia would poison spy in UK | Vladimir Putin: 'nonsense' to think Russia would poison spy in UK |
| (2 months later) | |
| Vladimir Putin said on Sunday it was nonsense to think that Moscow would have poisoned the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, who are critically ill in a British hospital. | Vladimir Putin said on Sunday it was nonsense to think that Moscow would have poisoned the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, who are critically ill in a British hospital. |
| The UK government has said that the Skripals were poisoned by the Soviet-era novichok nerve agent, and the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, said on Sunday that Russia has been stockpiling it and investigating how such weapons could be used in assassinations. | The UK government has said that the Skripals were poisoned by the Soviet-era novichok nerve agent, and the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, said on Sunday that Russia has been stockpiling it and investigating how such weapons could be used in assassinations. |
| Sergei Skripal possibly poisoned through car's air vents say US media | |
| But Putin, in his first detailed comments on the poisoning, said Russia had been falsely accused. | But Putin, in his first detailed comments on the poisoning, said Russia had been falsely accused. |
| “As for the tragedy that you mentioned, I found out about it from the media. The first thing that entered my head was that if it had been a military-grade nerve agent, the people would have died on the spot,” said Putin. | “As for the tragedy that you mentioned, I found out about it from the media. The first thing that entered my head was that if it had been a military-grade nerve agent, the people would have died on the spot,” said Putin. |
| “Secondly, Russia does not have such [nerve] agents. We destroyed all our chemical weapons under the supervision of international organisations and we did it first, unlike some of our partners who promised to do it, but unfortunately did not keep their promises.” | “Secondly, Russia does not have such [nerve] agents. We destroyed all our chemical weapons under the supervision of international organisations and we did it first, unlike some of our partners who promised to do it, but unfortunately did not keep their promises.” |
| Despite the tensions, Putin said Moscow was ready to cooperate with London: “We are ready to cooperate, we said that straight away. We are ready to take part in the necessary investigations, but for that there needs be a desire from the other side and we don’t see that yet. But we are not taking it off the agenda, joint efforts are possible.” | Despite the tensions, Putin said Moscow was ready to cooperate with London: “We are ready to cooperate, we said that straight away. We are ready to take part in the necessary investigations, but for that there needs be a desire from the other side and we don’t see that yet. But we are not taking it off the agenda, joint efforts are possible.” |
| “I think any sensible person would understand that it would be rubbish, drivel, nonsense, for Russia to embark on such an escapade on the eve of a presidential election.” | “I think any sensible person would understand that it would be rubbish, drivel, nonsense, for Russia to embark on such an escapade on the eve of a presidential election.” |
| Putin was speaking after winning a new term in a presidential election. | Putin was speaking after winning a new term in a presidential election. |
| British officials have said Moscow was culpable for the poisoning, and expelled 23 Russian diplomats based in London. Moscow retaliated on Saturday by expelling the same number of British diplomats from Moscow, shuttering the British consulate in Russia’s second city of St Petersburg and closing down the Russian activities of the British Council, which promoted British culture overseas. | British officials have said Moscow was culpable for the poisoning, and expelled 23 Russian diplomats based in London. Moscow retaliated on Saturday by expelling the same number of British diplomats from Moscow, shuttering the British consulate in Russia’s second city of St Petersburg and closing down the Russian activities of the British Council, which promoted British culture overseas. |
| Vladimir Putin | Vladimir Putin |
| Sergei Skripal | Sergei Skripal |
| Russia | Russia |
| Russian presidential election 2018 | Russian presidential election 2018 |
| Novichok poisonings | Novichok poisonings |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |