Nerve agent attack: Russia questions visa denial for Viktoria Skripal

The Russian Embassy has questioned why a relative of Sergei and Yulia Skripal has been denied a visa to visit them in the UK.

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تاریخ: ۱۹ فروردين ۱۳۹۷ - ۰۹:۲۱

Viktoria Skripal, a cousin of Ms Skripal who has claimed the UK has "something to hide", wanted to travel from Moscow to visit the pair as they recover from the nerve agent attack in Salisbury, but has been denied entry to Britain.

In a statement, the Russian Embassy accused the Foreign Office of failing to answer questions over why her application had been rejected.

A Home Office spokesman had said her application "did not comply with the Immigration Rules", an explanation the embassy has dismissed as "disappointing" and "politically motivated".mage

The latest bid by Moscow to shape the narrative surrounding the novichok attack came after Viktoria made a direct appeal to Prime Minister Theresa May to allow her to see her family.

She told Sky News: "The main thing I would like now is to see them personally and be able to tell our grandfather truthfully about his son's and granddaughter's health, but my visa was rejected.

"The whole world is now talking about an unprecedented political scandal, but real people are at the epicentre of this scandal. This is our family, which really needs to be together now.

"If Yulia sees this, I want her to see we love her and will always wait for her. I will fight for her til the end. If I can't do it here, I will go to the United Nations, and if I can't do it this way, I will walk, I will hitchhike across the border illegally."

Her comments were dismissed by a former British ambassador to Russia as part of an "absurdist" and "cunning" attempt by the Kremlin to influence public perception of the ongoing dispute between the two countries.

Sir Andrew Wood added: "The Russians haven't been helpful in any way and we wouldn't expect them to."

The embassy previously questioned why Britain had not been more forthcoming about the fate of Mr Skripal's pets, who were revealed to have died after a request was made to make public what had happened to them.

Earlier on Saturday, Britain accused Russia of "pursuing a diversionary tactic" after the country's London embassy requested a meeting with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to discuss the poisonings.

The request came just a day after former spy Mr Skripal was revealed to be "responding well to treatment".

There is growing speculation that Mr Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, who is also recovering, may now be able to help the investigation.