The daughter of a former Russian double agent who was the victim of last month’s nerve agent attack on Thursday issued her first public comments since the poisoning, calling the episode “somewhat disorienting.”
Yulia Skripal, 33, and her father Sergei Skripal, the former spy, were found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury, England, on March 4. The British government concluded they were poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent, later identified by scientists as Novichok.
“I woke up over a week ago and am glad to say my strength is growing daily. I am grateful for the interest in me and for the many messages of goodwill that I have received,” Skripal said in a statement. “I have many people to thank for my recovery and would especially like to mention the people of Salisbury that came to my aid when my father and I were incapacitated.”
She also thanked the staff at Salisbury District Hospital, and requested privacy.
“I am sure you appreciate that the entire episode is somewhat disorienting, and I hope that you’ll respect my privacy and that of my family during the period of my convalescence,” Skripal said.
The Metropolitan Police’s Counterterrorism Command in London, which is leading the investigation into the attack, said last week Yulia and Sergei Skripal first came into contact with the poison at the front door of their home.
British Prime Minister Theresa May concluded Russia was responsible for the attack, and she was joined by the President Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in blaming Russia.
In response to the poisoning, Trump ordered 60 Russian officials, who were suspected intelligence officers, to be expelled from the U.S. Western nations have collectively expelled more than 150 Russians.
Moscow responded to the action from the U.S. and announced it plans to expel 60 U.S. officials from Russia.
Russia has denied any involvement in the attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a thorough investigation into the poisoning and is demanding Moscow play a role.
