Russia's ambassador to London denied on Friday that spies from his country's military intelligence agency had tried to kill former double agent Sergei Skripal and hack various organizations across the world.
Ambassador Alexander Yakovenko told reporters relations were at a low because the British government was trying to carry out a campaign aimed at discrediting Russia.
When asked directly whether he accepted the British accusation that agents from Russia's GRU military intelligence agency had tried to kill Skripal in March, Yakovenko said: "No we don't accept that."
Asked whether the two men accused by Britain of trying to kill Skripal were GRU agents, he refused to answer the question directly.
He denied accusations from Britain, the United States and the Netherlands that the GRU had hacked organizations across the world to undermine Western democracies.
"Of course I deny it because this is part of a general campaign launched in Britain and supported by the United States... to discredit my country," he said.
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.
