Skripal row: Niece of Ex-Russian spy's daughter to visit UK

The niece of Yulia Skripal, who is the daughter of a former Russian spy Sergei Skripal is planning to visit the United Kingdom soon, the Russian embassy in London said in a statement on Friday.

According to the British government, Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter were on March 4 exposed to a military-grade nerve agent in the British city of Salisbury. The father-daughter duo has since then been hospitalised in a critical condition.

"Today the embassy once again contacted Viktoria Skripal, Sergei Skripal's niece. After learning that Yulia Skripal is improving, Viktoria expressed a wish to come to London and visit her cousin. We believe that for humanitarian reasons, the British authorities will promptly issue her a visa," TASS cited the Russian embassy's statement.

On Thursday, Dr. Christine Blanshard, Medical Director for Salisbury District Hospital said in a statement that Yulia's is stable and showing rapid improvements. Her father, Skripal, however, continues to be in a critical condition.

The update on Yulia's condition comes after London's Metropolitan Police on Wednesday said that the Skripals first came into contact with the nerve agent at the former spy's home as police have identified the highest concentration of the nerve agent to date on the property's front door.

According to CNN, detectives will investigate around Skripal's Salisbury home for the coming weeks and possibly months.

Last week, UK suspended 21 Russian diplomats back to Moscow claiming that Russia was "highly responsible" for the poisoning attack.

British Prime Minister Theresa May also called the incident "a brazen attempt to murder innocent civilians on our soil" and accused Russia of carrying out the attack.

However, Moscow denied any wrongdoing, while Russian President Vladimir Putin described the accusations as "delirium".

Meanwhile, UK ambassador Laurie Bristow was summoned by the Russian Foreign Ministry for the second time over the poisoning attack on Skripal.

--ANI

Also Read: Pak broke international norms over treatment of diplomats: MoS V.K. Singh