The first round of Russian presidential elections will take place on Sunday, March 18. Just a few days left to the Russian elections UK Prime Minister Theresa May accused Russia of poisoning double agent Sergey Skripal on British soil. May also announced that no minister or members of the Royal family will go to World Cup final in Russia this summer. U.S., France and Germany joined Britain in accusing Russia for poisoning double agent Skripal with a joint statement.
Russia denied accusations of poisoning Skripal and asked for evidence. Yet Britain did not provide any evidence. Russia said Britain’s “crude” and “hostile” attitude will get an appropriate respond soon.
Who is double agent Sergey Skripal?
Sergey Skripal is a former Russian military intelligence colonel who started to work for MI6 in 1995. In 2006 Skripal was convicted in Russia for passing information to MI6. Skripal admitted that MI6 paid him $100,000 for the information. Skripal moved to London as part of a spy swap in 2010 where he has lived for 8 years.
What is Novichok?
Novichok nerve agent was developed by the Soviet Union in the 70s and 80s. Russia has signed Chemical Weapons Convention in 1997. All of the chemical weapons testing facilities in Russia have been closed between 2005 and 2015 by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
In September 2017 OPCW Director Ahmet Üzümcü said that "The completion of the verified destruction of Russia's chemical weapons programme is a major milestone in the achievement of the goals of the Chemical Weapons Convention.” Source
Could anyone else poisoned double agent?
According to OPCW, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, France, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Libya, Russia, Serbia, Syria, the United Kingdom and the United States have declared chemical weapon production facilities. Also Albania, India, Libya, Russia and Syria have completed destruction of declared chemical weapons. Source
Russia insists on development of Soviet-era nerve agents stopped in 1992. According to OPCW Russia’s chemical weapons program is destructed and Russia fulfilled all of the obligations. Unlike Russia, the United States has not destroyed all of its chemical weapons and pushing the date to 2023.
Just 11 km away from Salisbury where Skripal poisoned Britain has its own chemical facility also known as the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down.
Cui Bono?
Cui bono means “to whom it benefits” in Latin. The Latin phrase “Cui bono” is the key question in every investigation that we should ask. Why would Russia attempt to kill Skripal before elections and World Cup? Russia has no motive to kill Skripal and has no benefit from such an act. It seems that someone started a new propaganda war and wants to turn the New Cold War to a hot war and it’s not Russia.