Daughter of Russian spy released into hiding

The daughter of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal was released from hospital yesterday, following an extraordinary recovery from the Salisbury nerve agent attack.Hospital authorities said Sergei, 66, was also making “good progress” and is expected to be released in due course.Yulia Skripal, 33, was discharged five weeks after coming into contact with the military-grade nerve agent Novichok. Details were kept secret until she had left the hospital yesterday morning, under police protection.She was taken to a safe house where she will be quizzed extensively by security officials and detectives in the hope she can provide vital clues to the counter-terrorism investigation. The pair were found slumped unconscious on a park bench in the Wiltshire on March 4 after coming into contact with the nerve agent.There were reports at the weekend that the substance had been specially designed to act slowly and take about four hours to kill, giving the would-be assassins time to flee Britain.Dr Christine Blanshard, Salisbury district hospital medical director, yesterday confirmed Yulia had been released but added: “This is not the end of her treatment but marks a significant milestone.”She said of Sergei: “Although he is recovering more slowly than Yulia, we hope he too will be able to leave hospital in due course.” The Foreign Office has said the pair are likely to have “ongoing medical needs”.The Kremlin has denied being responsible for the poisoning of the Skripals, but the incident has sparked a major confrontation between Britain and Russia.In Moscow Sergei’s 45-year-old niece, Viktoria Skripal, called on Britain to prove that Yulia was healthy and out of hospital.Viktoria, who has been denied a visa to visit Britain by the UK amid claims she is being used as a pawn by Russia, told a local news station: “I heard news about her being discharged and my heart jumped. Have you seen her? How was she? No? Has anyone seen her? There has been no call or message from her to me or anyone in the family.”The Russian embassy issued a statement saying: “We congratulate Yulia on her recovery. Yet we need urgent proof that what is being done to her is done on her own free will.”The announcement came amid speculation that the Skripals could move to America and be given a new identity under CIA protection.