Wealthy Russian emigres in Britain have reportedly been given police protection following the high-profile poisoning of a former Russian spy that London blames on Moscow.
British Prime Minister Theresa May said Russia was “highly likely” behind the March 4 poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury. She vowed to take “much more extensive measures” if the Kremlin failed to explain the origin of the highly potent nerve agent by the early hours of Wednesday.
“After the Salisbury poisoning, there’s a police car on constant duty under the window of my house,” the Kommersant business daily cited an unnamed Russian emigre as saying Wednesday.
The comments come in the wake of an unexplained death of a Russian associate of late tycoon Boris Berezovsky that London Metropolitan Police said was not linked to the Skripals’ poisoning.
British Home Secretary Amber Rudd reportedly vowed Tuesday to look into 14 deaths of Russian nationals in Britain that had not originally been ruled suspicious.
"We don't routinely comment on matters of protection or security,” Metropolitan Police spokesman Asim Bashir told The Moscow Times by email.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
