EMBASSY INFORMS
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Q: Can you comment on today's government statements on Salisbury sites being "released" by the police?
In a letter to Managing Director of the Welsh National Opera Leonora Thomson, Ambassador Alexander Yakovenko has agreed to become an Honorary Patron of WNO production of Sergei Prokofiev’s opera “War and Peace”.
The Welsh National Opera, one of the most distinguished UK opera houses, opens the autumn season with the new “War and Peace” production on 15 September. It is expected that after the premiere in Cardiff the new production will tour the UK, including the Royal Opera House in London.
Vladimir Putin: Citizens of Russia, ladies and gentlemen, friends,
I salute all the citizens of our great nation and compatriots living abroad, all those who are watching the broadcast of this ceremony and all those present here today, in the historic halls of the Kremlin and on the ancient Cathedral Square.
As I am about to take office as the President of Russia, I am keenly aware of the immense responsibility towards each and every one of you, and towards our entire multi-ethnic nation. I am aware of my responsibility towards Russia, a country of magnificent victories and accomplishments, towards the history of the Russian state that goes back centuries and towards our ancestors. Their courage, relentless work, undefeatable unity, and the way they sanctified their homeland are eternal examples of their dedication to their Fatherland.
Q: What is our reaction to the Guardian article on a “comprehensive strategy” to “deepen the alliance against Russia” to be pursued by the UK Government at international forums?
A: Judging by the publication, the main current challenge for Whitehall is to preserve the anti-Russian coalition that the Conservatives tried to build after the Salisbury incident. This task is challenging indeed. The “fusion doctrine” promoted by the national security apparatus has led to the Western bloc taking hasty decisions that, as life has shown, were not based on any facts.
Some days ago our attention was drawn to a publication in “The Sunday Telegraph” stating that in 2008 there existed a “Russian plot” to poison Mr. Robert Dudley, then TNK-BP CEO. Considering this information as pure fiction, at first we didn’t intend to comment. But since a number of other British media spread this fabulous news, we see ourselves forced to react.
Today marks two months since the two Russian nationals, Sergei and Yulia Skripal, were hospitalized in Salisbury over what was announced to be a nerve agent poisoning. Although Russia was quickly accused of that crime, with serious international repercussions, no evidence of Russian involvement has been presented to the public.
What we can say after two months is that the British case against Russia has been built on two myths, both of which have been totally dismantled.
Q: How would you comment on the new leaks on the investigation of the Salisbury incident published in today’s Times?
A: On the face of it, the latest series of leaks gives a more detailed picture than the public had had before. However, everyone would prefer to deal with official comments rather than leaks which, as the National Security Adviser Sir Mark Sedwill said on 1 May, tend to be “entirely inaccurate and speculative”.
On 4 March 2018 two Russian citizens Sergei and Yulia Skripal were reportedly poisoned in Salisbury, Wiltshire with the toxic chemical named A-234 under the British classification.
On 12 March Foreign Secretary Johnson summoned me to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and said that Russia was “highly likely” responsible for the attack. He invited us to respond by the next day, whether this had been a direct act by the state or Russia had lost control over this nerve agent.
The incident had international repercussions, including expulsion of 150 Russian diplomats from 28 countries, notwithstanding the fact that the charges were based on assumptions and unverifiable intelligence. The Western countries lost the same number of Moscow-based staff. Meanwhile, the British government provided no evidence either to the public, its allies or Russia. Subsequent events revealed that no proof of Russia’s involvement existed. On 1 May, National Security adviser Sir Mark Sedwill confirmed that (despite a number of previous leaks) no suspect had been identified, a statement that speaks for itself.
Q: How can you comment on the remarks by Sir Mark Sedwill at the House of Commons Defence Committee on 1 May, when he called the British reaction to the Salisbury incident an example of the new “fusion doctrine” in action?
Q: “Sunday Times” has published today a large set of materials accusing “Russian bots” of attempted influence on 2017 general election results. How can you comment on it?
A: We have also taken note of this publication which has appeared in the run-up to the 3 May local elections. Such an information campaign was to be expected. The idea is to drag Russia into UK party politics, to use these accusations in opportunistic domestic aims. It has also happened before. Some time ago we were accused of supporting “Brexit” and “brexiteers” in an attempt “to destabilize the country”. What nonsense. The UK is indeed divided over Brexit issues, but an alleged “Russian interference” has nothing to do with it.
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