The former Russian spy who was poisoned with nerve agent in England has been discharged from hospital

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The former Russian spy who was poisoned with nerve agent in England has been discharged from hospital

sergei skripal

AP

Sergei Skripal in 2006.

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  • The former Russian spy who was poisoned with nerve agent in Salisbury, England, has been let out of hospital.
  • Sergei Skripal and his daughter were exposed to the Novichok nerve agent earlier this year, sparking a diplomatic crisis.
  • Britain accused Russia of carrying out the attack, while Russia continues to maintain their innocence.
  • Skripal's daughter, Yulia, was discharged a month ago.


The former Russian spy Sergei Skripal has been discharged from hospital after being poisoned by a deadly nerve agent, the NHS has confirmed.

Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, collapsed in Salisbury after being exposed to Novichok, a nerve agent developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, on March 4.

They were both taken into critical condition immediately after, and were put in intensive care for weeks.

Both are now out of hospital. The elder Skripal was taken out of critical condition on April 6, while Yulia recovered more quickly and was released from hospital on April 10.

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Sergeant Nick Bailey, a local police officer, was also in critical condition after responding to the Skripals and has since been released.

The NHS described all three patients as being "acutely unwell" when they were first taken to hospital, and said medical staff had been "keeping them alive until their bodies could produce more enzymes to replace those that had been poisoned."

Vladimir Putin Theresa May

Reuters/Samantha Lee/Business Insider

Britain and Russia have clashed over the poisoning.

Britain has accused Russia of being behind the attack, and named a secretive lab in southwestern Russia as the source of the poison. The Kremlin has continuously denied all responsibility.

UK counter-terrorism police and spy agencies have reportedly identified "persons of interest" in the attempted assassination, but have not named names. The suspects are said to be in Russia.

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Although Skripal has been discharged, he will continue to need treatment, Salisbury Hospital said.

Lorna Wilkinson, the hospital's director of nursing, said: "This is an important stage in his recovery, which will now take place away from the hospital."

Cara Charles-Barks, the chief executive, described the past two months as "a difficult time for those caught up in this incident - the patients, our staff and the people of Salisbury."

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