Excellent summary, Kit; good work and thanks for it. Anyone who wants the full story on this pathetically flimsy (though, not surprisingly, passively and unquestioningly accepted by the public) piece of the British government's effort to demonize Putin and Russia, should can read John Helmer's 2 volumes "Skripal in Prison" and "Long Live Novichok!". (Helmer also has other books detailing relared pieces of the UK-led EU crowd's coordinated false flag & propaganda campaign designed to whip up enthusiasm among Western publics for waging war against the Eternal Boogeyman Russia.)
The British state knows that 90% of the public will only look at the headlies, and increase their loathing of "Russia". The 10% who will look deeper, will 100% not believe a word of the story.
Thankfully, that 10% are all either "Russia apologists" or "Putin-stooges", and they can be safely ignored and deplatformed.
No-one with a braincell could believe anything about this fantastical account. The sheer incompetence of the UK is on full display. No farcical "Inquiries" can cover this up.
Phenomenal breakdown of how Cassidy's surveillance observations completely undercut the offical timeline. The fact that both undercover vehicles were allegedly conducting "unrelated" operations right when Skripal was being tailed from Heathrow strains credulity past breaking, I've worked adjacent to counterintel for years and that kind of coincidence simply doesnt happen. The selective memory around Yulia's blinking testimony vs Rowley's conflicting accounts is textbook inquiry managment.
Thank you for the helpful analysis of the inquiry findings. The inquiry does not add confidence to the government's byzantine fantasy but further discredits the judicial and legal system which has already rubbished the concept of Separation of Powers in the UK. The entire shambolic mendacity of the Skripal tale shows a degree of arrogance and contempt for public intelligence that should get any official endorsing it fired for incompetence. If this is the result of British intelligence, it must have international colleagues in that trade snickering into their drinks.
Of all the cover ups the intelligence in this country have attempted to obsfucate us with this has to be the most amateurish, piss poor attempt of all time. The holes in the narrative and plot are so glaring and embarassingly obvious even my pet dog could spot them.
I followed this story intently for a couple of years but I've since forgotten some details, such as did the two alleged assassins have checked-in baggage on their journey to the UK? I do recall on CCTV they each appeared to have one small case that looked about right for cabin baggage but I could be mistaken. I ask because it only just occurred to me that 55ml of perfume, regardless of container or packaging, would not clear typical airport security. I'd like to believe a portable heat sealer device might also raise airport security concerns but hey ho.
I thought that the Skripal Novachok poisoning was bogus from the beginning. Too much did not seem right, and I suspected British Russophobia. For one thing, Skripal's pardon and his expressed wish to return to Russia pointed more to the Brits being the assassins than the Russians. It seemed just as likely that Petrov and Boshirov were in Salisbury to debrief the Skripals.
Then I read several of John Helmer's exhaustive account of events on Dances with Bears, and the sense of 'not right' just gets worse.
When the suspects Petrov and Boshirov went on RT to deny their involvement, the British media basically pointed at it and said "look how guilty they look!" and that was enough to dismiss their testimony out of hand. It would be funny if real people didn't continue to fall for it
As an expert con-man and serial liar once remarked, the whole case is but "an inverted pyramid of piffle". The boys and girls in grey, behind the 'thin blue line' are taking the p*ss , bigly.
After Blair anything is possible. Blair's reasoning in taking his country to war was: "Because it’s the right thing to do"(!) The fact that this man is free is beyond belief. The implications of letting Blair completely off the hook have been destructive to public conduct in all areas of life. Once he has crossed this line (and got himself rich after that) all standards of behaviour are out the window and anything is now possible. Farce - is our legacy for who know how long.
There was a third GRU Agent, Fedotov. He had booked a return flight on Aeroflot’s SU 2579 from Heathrow to Moscow for March 4, the day on which Sergey and Yuliya Skripal collapsed unconscious.
However, he never boarded he was a last minute no-show. Instead, he made his way to Rome, and boarded a flight at 15:30 that same day back to Moscow. Perhaps Sergey was supposed to have joined the other 2 GRU agents & returned to Moscow with them. Since Fedatov had already checked in, he could have handed over his boarding pass to Sergey who would not have had his passport checked other than a quick glance at the boarding gate. Perhaps Skripal was returning to Russia, his wife & son had died, his daughter was getting married & was going to live in Moscow. Perhaps Skripal was the Russian agent who was going to spill the beans on Russia Gate
When did his mother die? She was said to be the reason S wanted to return to Russia, so he could see her before she died. There was also the suggestion he wanted to see out his last days in Russia especially as his daughter J was getting married (to an Intel officer) and they’d hit on a Moscow apartment they wanted. What happened to those plans I wonder.
It seems Putin gave the OK for S’s return but the British and Americans said No; S would be ‘debriefed’ (of course) about his work for MI6 and in particular about his then MI6
colleague Chris Steele.
S and J met with S’s handler, disabling their phones for 4 hours. S was understandable angry at the refusal to let him go to Russia (but hardly surprised surely?) His bad temper was evident in the Greek restaurant over lunch.
What an extraordinary coincidence that the Head Doctor from nearby Porton Down was close to father and daughter when they sat on the bench after their lunch.
The two Russians were surely low level Agents taking down market accommodation in East London and then buying weed on the street which they apparently smoked that night. Were they tasked to escort father and daughter back to Russia or did they bring a passport?
It seems very unlikely they brought N a nerve agent that apparently killed you; if they had how was it that both S and J as well as the police officer and Dawn’s boyfriend survived?
I imagine the poison they were given was provided by Porton Down and to some
degree mimicked N.- except it didn’t kill you.
I wonder what the medics at Salisbury hospital thought? Were they really staffed there? By that time the shutters were down and we still don’t know whether S and J are alive or dead or where they are. Not Russia one assumes!
Presumably the only real N was in the perfume pack and provided by PD?
Slough House were in a panic. S was so cross about the refusal to let him leave the UK he could have done anything - such as detailing what he was up to with Chris Steele. Knock him and his daughter out with something, get them into hospital, throw the security blanket over them - and think of a story to cover the holes. It’s not surprising it wasn’t the best story but Lamb must have congratulated them on doing their best in the circumstances? A double Agent about to become a triple was tough!
Surely, if we have learned nothing else from the uk government and its fluffers in the MSM, any stick will do to beat a dog.
Vladimir Putin could be shown to cure AIDS, COVID, and most childhood cancers with his touch, and the Graun would bitch that
1. It doesn't work.
2. It's racist.
3. Putin stole his superpowers.
4. Putin weaponized spiritual healing ZOMG!
Excellent summary, Kit; good work and thanks for it. Anyone who wants the full story on this pathetically flimsy (though, not surprisingly, passively and unquestioningly accepted by the public) piece of the British government's effort to demonize Putin and Russia, should can read John Helmer's 2 volumes "Skripal in Prison" and "Long Live Novichok!". (Helmer also has other books detailing relared pieces of the UK-led EU crowd's coordinated false flag & propaganda campaign designed to whip up enthusiasm among Western publics for waging war against the Eternal Boogeyman Russia.)
The British state knows that 90% of the public will only look at the headlies, and increase their loathing of "Russia". The 10% who will look deeper, will 100% not believe a word of the story.
Thankfully, that 10% are all either "Russia apologists" or "Putin-stooges", and they can be safely ignored and deplatformed.
No-one with a braincell could believe anything about this fantastical account. The sheer incompetence of the UK is on full display. No farcical "Inquiries" can cover this up.
‘...the headlies..’ 😝👏👏
Phenomenal breakdown of how Cassidy's surveillance observations completely undercut the offical timeline. The fact that both undercover vehicles were allegedly conducting "unrelated" operations right when Skripal was being tailed from Heathrow strains credulity past breaking, I've worked adjacent to counterintel for years and that kind of coincidence simply doesnt happen. The selective memory around Yulia's blinking testimony vs Rowley's conflicting accounts is textbook inquiry managment.
Thank you for the helpful analysis of the inquiry findings. The inquiry does not add confidence to the government's byzantine fantasy but further discredits the judicial and legal system which has already rubbished the concept of Separation of Powers in the UK. The entire shambolic mendacity of the Skripal tale shows a degree of arrogance and contempt for public intelligence that should get any official endorsing it fired for incompetence. If this is the result of British intelligence, it must have international colleagues in that trade snickering into their drinks.
Of all the cover ups the intelligence in this country have attempted to obsfucate us with this has to be the most amateurish, piss poor attempt of all time. The holes in the narrative and plot are so glaring and embarassingly obvious even my pet dog could spot them.
That's a bit harsh on your dog I think.
Upon reflection, I think you maybe right.
I followed this story intently for a couple of years but I've since forgotten some details, such as did the two alleged assassins have checked-in baggage on their journey to the UK? I do recall on CCTV they each appeared to have one small case that looked about right for cabin baggage but I could be mistaken. I ask because it only just occurred to me that 55ml of perfume, regardless of container or packaging, would not clear typical airport security. I'd like to believe a portable heat sealer device might also raise airport security concerns but hey ho.
I thought that the Skripal Novachok poisoning was bogus from the beginning. Too much did not seem right, and I suspected British Russophobia. For one thing, Skripal's pardon and his expressed wish to return to Russia pointed more to the Brits being the assassins than the Russians. It seemed just as likely that Petrov and Boshirov were in Salisbury to debrief the Skripals.
Then I read several of John Helmer's exhaustive account of events on Dances with Bears, and the sense of 'not right' just gets worse.
When the suspects Petrov and Boshirov went on RT to deny their involvement, the British media basically pointed at it and said "look how guilty they look!" and that was enough to dismiss their testimony out of hand. It would be funny if real people didn't continue to fall for it
STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN!
As an expert con-man and serial liar once remarked, the whole case is but "an inverted pyramid of piffle". The boys and girls in grey, behind the 'thin blue line' are taking the p*ss , bigly.
After Blair anything is possible. Blair's reasoning in taking his country to war was: "Because it’s the right thing to do"(!) The fact that this man is free is beyond belief. The implications of letting Blair completely off the hook have been destructive to public conduct in all areas of life. Once he has crossed this line (and got himself rich after that) all standards of behaviour are out the window and anything is now possible. Farce - is our legacy for who know how long.
There was a third GRU Agent, Fedotov. He had booked a return flight on Aeroflot’s SU 2579 from Heathrow to Moscow for March 4, the day on which Sergey and Yuliya Skripal collapsed unconscious.
However, he never boarded he was a last minute no-show. Instead, he made his way to Rome, and boarded a flight at 15:30 that same day back to Moscow. Perhaps Sergey was supposed to have joined the other 2 GRU agents & returned to Moscow with them. Since Fedatov had already checked in, he could have handed over his boarding pass to Sergey who would not have had his passport checked other than a quick glance at the boarding gate. Perhaps Skripal was returning to Russia, his wife & son had died, his daughter was getting married & was going to live in Moscow. Perhaps Skripal was the Russian agent who was going to spill the beans on Russia Gate
When did his mother die? She was said to be the reason S wanted to return to Russia, so he could see her before she died. There was also the suggestion he wanted to see out his last days in Russia especially as his daughter J was getting married (to an Intel officer) and they’d hit on a Moscow apartment they wanted. What happened to those plans I wonder.
It seems Putin gave the OK for S’s return but the British and Americans said No; S would be ‘debriefed’ (of course) about his work for MI6 and in particular about his then MI6
colleague Chris Steele.
S and J met with S’s handler, disabling their phones for 4 hours. S was understandable angry at the refusal to let him go to Russia (but hardly surprised surely?) His bad temper was evident in the Greek restaurant over lunch.
What an extraordinary coincidence that the Head Doctor from nearby Porton Down was close to father and daughter when they sat on the bench after their lunch.
The two Russians were surely low level Agents taking down market accommodation in East London and then buying weed on the street which they apparently smoked that night. Were they tasked to escort father and daughter back to Russia or did they bring a passport?
It seems very unlikely they brought N a nerve agent that apparently killed you; if they had how was it that both S and J as well as the police officer and Dawn’s boyfriend survived?
I imagine the poison they were given was provided by Porton Down and to some
degree mimicked N.- except it didn’t kill you.
I wonder what the medics at Salisbury hospital thought? Were they really staffed there? By that time the shutters were down and we still don’t know whether S and J are alive or dead or where they are. Not Russia one assumes!
Presumably the only real N was in the perfume pack and provided by PD?
Allegedly, Skripal was a tripple agent. The attack could have been executed by either side. My bet is on MI6.
Is this a Mick Herron plot? Could be cock-up covered up by Slough House.
Difficult to tell fact from fiction these days.
Slough House were in a panic. S was so cross about the refusal to let him leave the UK he could have done anything - such as detailing what he was up to with Chris Steele. Knock him and his daughter out with something, get them into hospital, throw the security blanket over them - and think of a story to cover the holes. It’s not surprising it wasn’t the best story but Lamb must have congratulated them on doing their best in the circumstances? A double Agent about to become a triple was tough!
And Yulia…