LONDON, February 17. /TASS/. The health of former Russian GRU Colonel Sergei Skripal, who London says was poisoned in an attempted murder last March, has deteriorated, the Sunday Times said.
Citing "a well-informed intelligence source," the daily reported that his condition "has taken a downturn, even though it is not deemed critical" and that Skripal had been receiving medical care at his home.
The source added that no one could predict what will happen to the former Russian military intelligence officer since there is little that is known about the long-term impact of the nerve agent.
In addition, a Scotland Yard source told the Sunday Times that unlike Yulia, Sergei Skripal "was not in the best shape to begin with," due to his age and health. "Yulia remains in good health," the source said cited by the daily.
Asked by TASS to comment on the article and to inform about any changes in Sergei Skripal’s condition, a Scotland Yard official said on Sunday, "We have no information on that."
According to London's version, on March 4, 2018, former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal, convicted in Russia of spying for Britain, and his daughter Yulia, were exposed to a 'Novichok-class' nerve agent in Salisbury. The British government claimed that Russia was "highly likely" behind the incident. However, Moscow strongly dismissed all speculations on that score, adding that programs for developing this substance had never existed in the Soviet Union or Russia. Britain’s military chemical laboratory at Porton Down failed to pinpoint the origin of the substance that poisoned the Skripals.
On September 5, British Prime Minister Theresa May briefed parliament on the investigation’s findings to declare that two Russians carrying passports issued in the names of Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov were suspected accomplices in the assassination attempt. Britain regards both men as GRU agents. Petrov and Boshirov in an interview to the RT television channel dismissed the charges.