LONDON — Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal has been discharged from a British hospital, more than two months after he was poisoned with nerve agent, hospital officials in the United Kingdom said Friday.

Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, were found unresponsive on a bench in Salisbury, a city in southern England, on March 4. The two were taken to Salisbury District Hospital in critical condition.

Yulia Skripal was discharged from the hospital last month.

Salisbury District Hospital announced Friday that both patients have now been released. The father and daughter have been taken to an undisclosed location for their safety.

Britain says the Skripals were poisoned with Soviet-developed Novichok nerve agent and blames Russia. The Kremlin denies any responsibility. Sergei Skripal spent time in jail in Russia for passing state secrets to Britain. He was released as part of a spy swap in 2010 and moved to Salisbury.

The poisoning incident has soured relations between Russia and many British allies.

Dozens of countries including Britain and the United States have expelled over 150 Russian diplomats because of the incident, while Russia has retaliated by expelling foreign envoys.

London's Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) said it was continuing to investigate the poisonings as attempted murders.

"This is a complex investigation and detectives continue to gather and piece together all the evidence to establish the full facts and circumstances behind this dreadful attack," the MPS said in a statement.



 "In the interests of Sergei and Yulia’s safety, we will not be discussing any protective or security arrangements that are in place," the statement added.

More: Yulia Skripal, daughter of Russian former spy, discharged from Salisbury hospital after poisoning

More:List of countries and organizations that expelled Russian diplomats </s> LONDON, May 18 (Reuters) - Sergei Skripal, a former Russian spy poisoned by a nerve agent in Britain in March, has been discharged from hospital, England's health service said on Friday.

Skripal was found collapsed on a bench on March 4 in the southern English city of Salisbury along with his daughter, who was discharged from hospital last month.

"It is fantastic news that Sergei Skripal is well enough to leave Salisbury District Hospital," the hospital's Chief Executive Cara Charles-Barks said in a statement.

Britain has accused Russia of being behind the nerve agent attack and Western governments including the United States have expelled over 100 Russian diplomats. Russia has denied any involvement in the poisoning and has retaliated in kind. (Reporting by Alistair Smout and Michael Holden Editing by William Schomberg) </s> Poisoned Russian spy Sergei Skripal is “improving rapidly,” his doctors announced Friday — prompting Russia’s UK embassy to tweet, “Good news!”

“He is responding well to treatment, improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition,” said Dr. Christine Blanshard, medical director at Salisbury District Hospital, according to the BBC.

His daughter, Yulia, who also fell sick in the nerve-agent attack, is on the mend as well, she added.

“As Yulia herself says, her strength is growing daily and she can look forward to the day when she is well enough to leave the hospital,” Blanshard said.

Sergei Skripal — who was jailed in Russia for selling secrets to the UK before being freed and sent to England in a 2010 prisoner swap — and his daughter have been in the hospital since March 4, when they suddenly collapsed on a park bench due to exposure to the deadly poison.

The UK government has pointed the finger at the Kremlin for the attack — igniting a diplomatic row between Moscow and Western nations that has seen Russian envoys expelled from more than 20 countries.

Following the announcement of the Skripals’ improving health, Russia’s embassy tweeted messages of support for the pair — and a broadside against the UK.

“We hope that the improvement of Sergei and Yulia Skripal’s health will contribute to the investigation of the crime perpetrated against them. We are confident that an objective probe will ultimately establish that the claims against Russia by UK Government are null and void,” the embassy wrote. </s> On a visit to Russia's National Grain Centre, BBC’s Moscow Correspondent Steve Rosenburg asked Vladimir Putin: "Is Russia behind the poisoning of Sergei Skripal?" Mr Putin responded: “Look, we’re busy here with agriculture. As you can see, the aim is to create a good conditions for people’s lives. “And you ask me about some tragedies. Get to the bottom of things there, first. Then we’ll talk about this.” Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday that the Government has concluded it is “highly likely” Russia was responsible for the use of a nerve agent on former double-agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter.

Mrs May triggered World War 3 fears and demanded Russia has until midnight on Tuesday to explain the use of a Russian agent. The Russian Embassy in the UK stated that the policy of the UK Government towards Moscow “is a very dangerous game”. In a statement, the Embassy said: “Current policy of the UK Government towards Russia is a very dangerous game played with the British public opinion, which not only sends the investigation upon an unhelpful political track but also bears the risk of more serious long-term consequences for our relations.” The Embassy hit out at the UK for its “unfounded accusations” and branded the events as a “source of concern”.

Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov also said Moscow had not been granted access to samples of the nerve agent used to poison Mr Skripal and his daughter. Mr Skripal and his daughter collapsed at a shopping centre in Salisbury and were rushed to hospital after being poisoned by a nerve agent. Mr Skripal, 66, was a retired Russian military intelligence colonel who was accused of spying for the UK since the 1990s and sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006.

The double agent was arrested and jailed for 13 years in 2006 after he admitted selling names, addresses and code-names of Russian agents to MI6. But he was later pardoned for treason in Moscow and given refuge in the UK as part of a high-profile swap for Russian spies in 2010. </s> London: Sergei Skripal, a former Russian spy who was poisoned by a nerve agent in Britain more than two months ago, has been discharged from hospital, England's health service said on Friday.

Sergei Skripal, 66, a former colonel in Russia's military intelligence who betrayed dozens of agents to Britain, and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a public bench in the southern English city of Salisbury on March 4.

Britain has accused Russia of being behind the nerve agent attack and Western governments including the United States have expelled over 100 Russian diplomats. Russia has denied any involvement in the poisoning and has retaliated in kind.

The Skripals were in a critical condition for weeks and doctors at one point feared that, even if they survived, they might have suffered brain damage. But their health began to improve rapidly, and Yulia was discharged last month.

"It is fantastic news that Sergei Skripal is well enough to leave Salisbury District Hospital," the hospital's Chief Executive Cara Charles-Barks said in a statement. </s> The poisoned daughter of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal said Thursday her "strength is growing daily," and that she is grateful for the interest shown in her case.

In a statement released by Metropolitan Police, Yulia Skripal, 33, said that she woke up over a week ago after being poisoned along with her father in the southwestern city of Salisbury on March 4.

"I am grateful for the interest in me and for the many messages of goodwill that I have received," she said. "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."

The 33-year-old added that the entire episode is "somewhat disorientating," and that she hopes that the public will "respect my privacy and that of my family during the period of my convalescence."

In the statement, Skripal made no mention of the condition of her father, Sergei. Both have been treated at the Salisbury District Hospital since being found collapsed on a public bench on 4 March.

Britain has blamed Russia for the poisoning using a military grade nerve agent. In response, more than two dozen Western allies including Britain, the U.S. and NATO have ordered out over 150 Russian diplomats in a show of solidarity.

POISONED EX-SPY LIKELY LATEST VICTIM IN LONG LINE OF KREMLIN-ORDERED HITS

Russia's top diplomat on Thursday described the British accusations against Moscow over the nerve agent poisoning of an ex-spy as a mockery of international law and said Russia will push to find out the truth.

Moscow has fiercely denied its involvement in the nerve agent attack and expelled an equal number of envoys. The diplomatic turmoil has hit lows unseen even at the height of the Cold War.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov insisted that the poisoning case was fabricated by Britain to "demonize" Russia.

"The so-called Skripal case has been used as a fictitious, orchestrated pretext for the unfounded massive expulsions of Russian diplomats not only from the U.S. and Britain but also from a number of other countries who simply had their arms twisted," Lavrov said at a conference in Moscow. "We have never seen such an open mockery of the international law, diplomatic ethics and elementary decorum."

On Wednesday, Russia called a meeting of the international chemical weapons watchdog to demand a joint investigation with Britain into the poisoning — the demand that London has rejected.

RUSSIAN SPY CHIEF ACCUSES US AND UK OF STAGING NERVE ATTACK, PREDICTS RETURN TO ‘DARK TIMES OF COLD WAR

The Hague-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) voted against the Russian proposal, but Moscow said the number of countries that abstained from the vote suggested many have doubts about Britain's accusations.

"It's unacceptable to make unfounded accusations instead of conducting a fair investigation and providing concrete facts," Lavrov said. "Yesterday's debate in The Hague showed that self-respecting adults don't believe in fairy tales."

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said Wednesday that "the purpose of Russia's ludicrous proposal at The Hague was clear — to undermine the independent, impartial work of the international chemical weapons watchdog."

The Associated Press contributed to this report. </s> LONDON — Sergei Skripal, the Russian former double agent poisoned by nerve agent in Britain, is no longer in critical condition, a senior health official said.

Skripal is "responding well to treatment” and “improving rapidly," Christine Blanshard, Salisbury District Hospital’s medical director, said

Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, were found unresponsive on a bench in Salisbury, a city in southern England, on March 4.

Yulia Skripal said in a statement distributed by police Thursday that she woke up over a week ago and "am glad to say my strength is growing daily."

The Russian Embassy in the United Kingdom tweeted: "Good news!" in response to a tweet by Sky News about Sergei Skripal’s improved condition.

"As Yulia herself says, her strength is growing daily and she can look forward to the day when she is well enough to leave the hospital,” Blanshard said Friday.

"Any speculation on when that date will be is just that — speculation,” she added.

The United Kingdom has blamed Russia for the Skripals' poisoning with Novichok nerve agent. The Kremlin denies any responsibility.

More than 25 countries including Britain and the United States have expelled over 150 Russian diplomats over the incident, while Russia has retaliated by expelling foreign envoys.

Russia called a U.N. Security Council meeting Thursday over the poisonings. Vassily Nebenzia, the Russian ambassador to the U.N., called Britain’s claims a "fake story."

"We have told our British colleagues that they are playing with fire and they will be sorry,” he said.

Alexander Yakovenko, Russia's ambassador to the U.K., said his country will not accept Britain's conclusions unless Russian investigators are allowed to inspect the evidence, have access to the Skripals and participate in the investigation. Russia has also asked to examine pets found in Sergei Skripal's home

The British government said two guinea pigs belonging to Sergei Skripal were found dead at his home, apparently of thirst, and his cat was put down after it was found in a "distressed" state. Authorities sealed off Skripal’s home in the aftermath of the poisoning.

A spokesperson from the Russian Embassy in London said Skripal’s niece, Viktoria, had said there were two cats and two guinea pigs living at his home.

“To better understand what happened to Sergey and Yulia Skripal, it is essential to know if the animals also suffered from chemical poisoning. We have therefore officially requested the Foreign Office to provide us with the respective information, including on whether the animals are receiving any treatment,” the spokesperson said. </s> LONDON — Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal has been discharged from a British hospital, more than two months after he was poisoned with nerve agent, hospital officials in the United Kingdom said Friday.

Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, were found unresponsive on a bench in Salisbury, a city in southern England, on March 4. The two were taken to Salisbury District Hospital in critical condition.

Yulia Skripal was discharged from the hospital last month.

Salisbury District Hospital announced Friday that both patients have now been released. The father and daughter have been taken to an undisclosed location for their safety.

Britain says the Skripals were poisoned with Soviet-developed Novichok nerve agent and blames Russia. The Kremlin denies any responsibility. Sergei Skripal spent time in jail in Russia for passing state secrets to Britain. He was released as part of a spy swap in 2010 and moved to Salisbury.

The poisoning incident has soured relations between Russia and many British allies.

Dozens of countries including Britain and the United States have expelled over 150 Russian diplomats because of the incident, while Russia has retaliated by expelling foreign envoys.

More: Yulia Skripal, daughter of Russian former spy, discharged from Salisbury hospital after poisoning

More: List of countries and organizations that expelled Russian diplomats </s> LONDON — Russia denied any involvement Thursday in the poisoning of a couple in Britain with a Soviet-developed nerve agent, four months after a Russian father and daughter were found poisoned with the same toxin in a nearby city.

Emergency services were called to the town of Amesbury in Wiltshire, southern England, on Saturday after the couple, Charlie Rowley, 45, and Dawn Sturgess, 44, were found unconscious in a property. They were taken to Salisbury District Hospital where they remain in critical condition.

Police said the pair were exposed to nerve agent Novichok. The couple were found by emergency services about 10 miles from Salisbury, where Russian former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with the same nerve agent on March 4. Britain blames Russia for the Skripals’ poisoning. Russia denies any involvement.

More: Nerve agent leaves couple in critical condition near site of UK spy attack

Related: Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal discharged from hospital after poisoning

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that Russia had nothing to do with either incident.

“Russia has categorically denied and continues to categorically deny the possibility of any kind of involvement to what was happening there,” Peskov told reporters.

He said “the British side has not presented any evidence of Russia’s involvement in this, besides unfounded accusations.”

Authorities believe Rowley and Sturgess, British nationals with no known links to Russia, were not deliberately targeted.

“The working assumption would be that these are victims of either the consequence of the previous attack, or something else, but not that they were directly targeted,” Security Minister Ben Wallace told the BBC.

“I think what we said at the time was that this was a brazen and reckless attack in the heart of a very peaceful part of the United Kingdom, and that is part of the anger I feel about the Russian state … that they chose to use clearly a very, very toxic, highly dangerous weapon.”

British media said the couple could have somehow come into contact with Novichok residue from the attack on the Skripals, who have been taken to an undisclosed location after they were discharged from Salisbury District Hospital in April and May.

Sergei Skripal was jailed in Russia in 2006 for passing state secrets to Britain. He was released as part of a spy swap in 2010 and moved to Salisbury.

More: Who is Sergei Skripal? Russian spy found unconscious in English park sparks intrigue

Public health officials said the risk to the public is low, but advised people who had visited five locations in Amesbury and Salisbury between Friday night and Saturday evening including a park, a drugstore and a church to wash the clothing they were wearing and wipe personal items such as phones with cleansing or baby wipes.

Sam Hobson, a friend of Sturgess, said she was taken away on a stretcher after falling ill Saturday, the BBC reported. Hobson said she appeared to have a fit and was "foaming at the mouth" and that Rowley started "rocking against the wall” soon afterward, according to the BBC.

"His eyes were wide open, glazed and pinpricked, and he was sweating, dribbling and making weird noises,” Hobson added.

Russia is currently hosting the 2018 World Cup. If Russia and England win their next matches, the two teams could face each other in next week’s semi-finals.

Russia’s embassy in the Netherlands tweeted Thursday: "How dumb they think (Russia) is to use “again” so-called “Novichok” in the middle of the FIFA World Cup...The show must go on?"
A friend of poisoned exiled Russian spy Sergei Skripal claims Skripal had written to Vladimir Putin asking to return to Russia. Russia denies receiving such a letter.