Russians in UK spy case say they wanted to see cathedral; Britain calls it lies

@burnbush Are known Russian agents allowed to roam freely in Western countries without constant surveillance?

Good question. In the US Trump and his backers are trying to keep the intelligence agencies away from surveillance of Russian agents. The run up to the 2016 Putin/trumppence ticket shows there should have been intense surveillance, particularly when it's been known Trump's had dealings with Russian criminal gangs for decades.

https://www.vox.com/world/2018/9/12/17764132/trump-russia-business-ties-mafia-putin-craig-unger

If these guys were "known GRU agents", why weren't the British authorities tailing them?

Nowhere does the article use the phrase "known GRU agents".

I think you must be referring to something else you read in another article. It's amazing how facts get accidently distorted. I have not read that they were known agents anywhere.

But to answer your question anyway, the British secret service would not have the resources to track every agent all the time.

I expect that they do in Russia - perhaps you could enlighten us.

Just like the Russian soldiers who used their own vacation time to visit Ukraine and Crimea.

If these guys were "known GRU agents", why weren't the British authorities tailing them?

Come on, tell us the source of your quote.

If someone hadn't died due to their actons, this would be very funny. Their lack of knowldge of the places they visited, which was lifted verbatim from a google search, is amateurish. Want to visit Salisbury, but stay in a hotel over 100 miles away? The snow put them off? A bit of slush put off Russians? The video evidence says otherwise. Putin is trolling. He's mocking the woman who died and the other four who were affected by the poison.

"I'm frightened, I'm scared. I don't know what to expect tomorrow." Yeah, I'd feel the same way. Putin's done with you, and you'll likely be dead tomorrow. Of poison.

Nowhere does the article use the phrase "known GRU agents".

"Asked about the interview, a British government spokeswoman said: "The government is clear these men are officers of the Russian military intelligence service -- the GRU --..."

Agree with the rest of your post though.

a British government spokeswoman said: "The government is clear these men are officers of the Russian military intelligence service -- the GRU

Stop talking and show the evidence, really. Any actual evidence, not empty words. Show actual medical reports of Skripal. Explain how it's possible to stage a chemical attack with the most lethal nerve agent without any protective gear and casually hold this poison in a usual bottle of perfume. Explain how it's possible to trace the poison in their hotel room while nobody was affected by this "lethal poison". So far all the British story is "an insult to the public's intelligence" and an exellent example of "obfuscation and lies". Colin Powell's vial with "Saddam WMD" in 2003, now this bottle of perfume.

@Luddite

If someone hadn't died due to their actons, this would be very funny

Who died as the result of their actions? A junkie who found something on the street several months after these guys left the U.K.? What's the connection? So far the ones who really died as the result of the whole hoax were Skripal's pets, callously massacred by the police. "The great Salisbury massacre" it is.

@Laguna

Yeah, I'd feel the same way. Putin's done with you

A couple of days ago you predicted "they will be disappeared". I think your assessment is not correct again. You should be more afraid for Skripal. He is not needed by the British now.

Maybe they just snuck out of Russia for a big gay weekend together.

BTW Putin ordered this, this was an attack on foreign soil by the Russian Government, watch Trump say absolutely nothing.

Sure, anyone who does not believe this British bollocks is a Putin agent and a GRU operative. lol

The interviewer quizzing the duo on RT did not ask them why traces of the novichok were found in their CityStay hotel, Bow.

Odd, that.

Good piece from Bill Browder (on Putin's hit list) here regarding previous Russian "intelligence" jobs

https://inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/salisbury-poisoning-attack-novichok-sergei-yulia-skripal-uk-relationship-russia-bill-browder/

In 2006, the Russian government ordered the assassination of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko at the Millenium Hotel in Grosvenor Square in London unsung radioactive polonium 210. The assassination was “probably approved” by President Putin, according to Lord Owen’s report following his public inquiry.

The Russian assassins that Putin dispatched botched the job so badly that they literally left a trail of polonium all over London, like Hansel and Gretel, for British investigators to discover.

Nah Russian ultra-nationalists too.

I saw a guy once claim against all odds there were no Russian troops in Crimea. They’re je scary ones, the TRUE beliebers....

"Asked about the interview, a British government spokeswoman said: "The government is clear these men are officers of the Russian military intelligence service -- the GRU --..."

Agree with the rest of your post though.

Clear by their actions. This very different from them being known agents.

Stop talking and show the evidence, really. Any actual evidence, not empty words. 

Asakaze - this is what people said at the time. They ignored Russia's motive, means and form in this area and shouted for the evidenced.

Then we have a couple of Russians coming over to the UK and visiting the crime scene, which would be a bizarre and lucky coincidenc for the British secretservice in its attempts to cover up one of the most absurd murders in history.

Now we have evidence the request is for more evidence. I'm sure that all the questions that you ask have logical answers but neither of us are experts in the area. And anyway, you could just call the reply lies by the British.

Demanding evidence and proof for everything is an interesting strategy. "Explain how every fingerprint is unique - where's your evidence? " wouldn't get you very far as a criminal defence, would it?

Personally I reckon that they only reason the Skirpals survived is because the agents were so scared of the substance that they sprayed it for too short a time. Unlike the woman who died who actually sprayed it on herself.

flown to London for fun and visited the city of Salisbury to see its cathedral.

No evidence that they went anywhere near the cathedral either from CCTV or the gentlemen themselves.

Funny that.

The two men, both wearing blue jumpers, said they ran a sports nutrition business

'Nutrition' as in roids, HGH, testosterone etc? I (obviously) don't think that they're telling the truth but am not 100% convinced that they're GRU agents either. Could be a drug deal gone wrong (with the Skripals as middlemen, suppliers/buyers?), Russian mafia hit job etc.

Recently one of the UK top funny duo died ( Chuckly Bro ) But last night there was nothing on TV, but watching the news with these two Russian tourists I was howling with laughter, "there was a bit of light snow so we had to go home, (where in Russia it was -6degrees and its was snowing like XX) the whole thing was just hysterical, the lame excuses, or valid, I don't think that any one in the world is believing these guys. but if they wish to start up there own comedy program I am sure they will be a hit ( no pun intended)

@Toasted Heretic

Good piece from Bill Browder

Of course, opinion of a con man is very valuable....

@Madverts

They’re je scary ones, the TRUE beliebers....

Yes, they are. Particularly the "Whatever-the-facts-I-know-Pitin-did-it" believers. I knew a guy who was an Aum-Shinrikyo follower. Striking resemblance of mentality.

@Kniknaknokkaer

You believe the Russians? A country that has used computer game screenshots as 'proof' of military actions

One screenshot, a clerical mistake. You believe the British? A country whose prime minister started a war on pretext he knew from the very beginning was a barefaced lie?

@Ah_so

Personally I reckon that they only reason the Skirpals survived is because the agents were so scared of the substance that they sprayed it for too short a time

"Highly trained professional killers" were scared? Sprayed without any protection, how? Had their poisonous stuff in a hotel room, with no protective equipment, and everybody is alive and well?

Unlike the woman who died who actually sprayed it on herself

What is the connection with this duo? They were out of U.K. for several months when she picked up something. Several months this thing was on a street, in an unsecure bottle, and nobody else was poisoned? And what hapless killers those two are, discarded one bottle on the street, courteosly left another bottle in the hotel to help the police with the case.

From scientific point of view this strory is pure nonsense.

Of course, opinion of a con man is very valuable....

A man who's under the cold scrutiny of Putin. Oh yes, he's valuable alright. Just not in the way you're implying.

You believe the British? A country whose prime minister started a war on pretext he knew from the very beginning was a barefaced lie?

The war criminal Tony Blair is not "the British".

Just like the war criminal Putin is not the Russians.

What's worrying is just how timid people are in standing up to the monster.

From scientific point of view this strory is pure nonsense.

Why was there traces of novichok in the hotel the assassins stayed in, do you think?

Are known Russian agents allowed to roam freely in Western countries without constant surveillance?

Russian agents have been roaming, as you put it, in the west for at least a hundred years.

Sometimes their ops remain clandestine, sometimes not. Nowadays, there's the added bonus of an online army. And make no mistake, this army roams pretty much where it likes and says what it likes.

What is the connection with this duo? They were out of U.K. for several months when she picked up something. Several months this thing was on a street, in an unsecure bottle, and nobody else was poisoned? And what hapless killers those two are, discarded one bottle on the street, courteosly left another bottle in the hotel to help the police with the case.

*From scientific point of view** this strory is pure nonsense.*

Weapons grade scientist are you, or just talking nonsense to support your conspiracy theiry?

The bottle was out there, but not as we know literally on the street - it was found by a man rifling through some bin or something. And they did not leave a bottle at the hotel.

Aerosols are a very secure way of keeping liquids secure, through the the valve. It was no doubt identified as a safe way of transporting it. But like you, I do not know about transporting nerve agents. The north Koreans were able to kill someone with VX drops on a cloth without ill effects to the (possibly set-up) perpetrators.

I honestly do not know about traces of it being found in the hotel room. I can only imagine (assuming that the British government is telling the truth), that they were in such microscopically small quantities that it could do someone no harm, but is still detectable. Perhaps like the glass of water you had earlier today, that contains traces of gold and arsenic. It will neither make you rich or make you ill.

One screenshot, a clerical mistake.

Brilliant! I'm sure that's also the reason for the chemical attacks, invading Crimea, shooting down passenger planes, election interference, murder of journalists & opposition leaders, state-sponsored athlete doping and the rest. Just 'clerical errors'.

Obviously it wasn’t them, but the big debate on social media is why two men with nice haircuts shared the same bed.

@toasted. If there was traces in their hotel room, they would be dead. Watch the RT interview, they are both alive and well. This chemical is serious.

Obviously it wasn’t them,

Obviously it was. They admitted they were there, and gave an implausible cover story.

If there was [sic] traces in their hotel room, they would be dead.

How do you know? Are you a chemical weapons expert? Arsenic will kill you but there are trace elements in water, yet you are still alive.

Ah_so,

I'm afraid you're dealing with fanatics my friend. It's the post-truth era. They know they're defending lies, they simply do not care no matter how obvious it is to all and sundry....

GoodlucktoyouToday  06:05 pm JST

Obviously it wasn’t them, but the big debate on social media is why two men with nice haircuts shared the same bed.

Maybe the The Cathedral is the name of a gay swingers club. Let's face it the bearded dude has Village People written all over him.

@Kniknaknokkaer

I do believe the British because their side of the argument is far more credible

Just like in 2003, Blair was much more persuasive then.

@Toasted Heretic

The war criminal Tony Blair.....What's worrying is just how timid people are in standing up to the monster

Why this criminal not in jail? What's really worrying is just how benevolent the timid British people toward the monster.

Why was there traces of novichok in the hotel the assassins stayed in, do you think?

If the police was able to detect these traces several months after the incident while nobody in the hotel was hurt immediately after these two guys left? The concentration of the poison then was very much higher.

@Ah_so

Aerosols are a very secure way of keeping liquids secure

But the "cold-blooded professional killers" were afraid to use the poison? Then if it is secure, then how come the police was able to trace it after several months? This poison has a short life span. Assume there was a leak, but if there was leak then why nobody else was hurt by "the most lethal poson in the world"? Weapons grade scientist are you, or just talking nonsense to support your conspiracy theory?

@ClippetyClop

I'm sure that's also the reason for the chemical attacks, invading Crimea, shooting down passenger planes

Again, this propaganda fodder.... You are not tired to repeat it?

An interview that changed 0 minds anywhere. Not the minds of investigators, not by and large the minds of the British and western audiences; and not the minds of the totally propaganda submit Russian audiences or western “useful idiots” as the Russians call them. But it wasn’t meant to. The clear message from the Kremlin is ti the defectors, critics, and “traitors “... we will get you and get away with it.

Here's a weak timeline:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-russia-timeline/from-moscow-to-salisbury-uk-police-detail-novichok-suspects-movements-idUSKCN1LL1JM

They spent under 2 hrs in Salisbury the first day. Odd.

They spent 2:02 hrs in Salisbury on the 2nd day.

I've done the day-trip from London to Salisbury except I left very early in the morning, spent 3 hrs at one location before lunch, then on to another location for another 4 hrs, before heading back to London. No way would I travel those distances for 2 hrs in the city and certainly wouldn't do it 2 days in a row. Very odd. Why take the train? That just seems foolish.

I've seen no reason given for the short time spent in Salisbury, none. Did one of them feel sick? Was there a festival the following day? Did they meet some women back in London they were trying to hook up with? 2 hrs each day in a city 2+ hrs away? Russians aren't THAT stupid.

Traces found in the London hotel? How many people stayed in that same room between March 3rd and May 4th?

Lots of questions. Seems strange that no shop or city cameras caught the men in more places around the town, if they were tourists.

Why weren't members of the GRU being followed? Those aliases worked long enough would be my guess. Plus, maybe 12 other people on the same or earlier flights were flagged to throw off UK MI5? Lots of ways to misdirect security services.

MI6 would NEVER LIE, RIGHT?

https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2018/09/the-impossible-photo/

Yes, the entire Novichok episode was a scam. Sometimes the official line is EVERYTHING.

Background: These are the two men Britain claims poisoned the Skripals. PROBLEM: They are both photographed at the same time in the same place by the same camera and they are not together. Someone forgot the timestamp layer.

Click the link above to see the photos. Want to know how corrupt Britain and the rest of the deep state is? Here's a rare opportunity to see it first hand.

Important: They have photoshop down so good both photos look completely and totally authentic. Getting both to appear the same in the same hall framed exactly the same with the same exposure and same reflections and the same lens dirt took some real expert work.

OR: possibly the photos were created by an AI. If you want to see state of the art fakery MI6 just put out a great example, but what would you expect from MI6? They are the best!.

This proves the shadowy, behind the curtain players will, rather than conduct an investigation, instead focus on making beautiful fake evidence. After all, it is not the truth that matters when you are dealing with satanists, what people believe is the truth is what matters and here we have a prime example. You can't believe a photo anymore, no matter how real it looks. Thanks for the heads up MI6!

Getting both to appear the same in the same hall framed exactly the same with the same exposure and same reflections and the same lens dirt took some real expert work.

They aren't, look again. Even Putin TV has given up on this line of conspiracy.

This proves the shadowy, behind the curtain players will, rather than conduct an investigation, instead focus on making beautiful fake evidence.

You're behind the game champ. These fellows have already admitted they were in the UK together, in Salisbury, together. You need a fresh angle on this. Or less 9%ers.

3 thumbs down... Not sure why our Internet Research Agency friends disapprove. Just helping you guys make sure your message gets through. Would kind of defeat the purpose if those defectors and traitors started to actually doubt the GRU wasn't reaching out and touching people like them... hmmm

Background: These are the two men Britain claims poisoned the Skripals. PROBLEM: They are both photographed at the same time in the same place by the same camera and they are not together. Someone forgot the timestamp layer.

They were photographed at the same time but not in the same place or by the same camera.

Believe it out not, customer channels at airports look identical to each other because they are built using the same plan, but there is more than one of them.

And anyway, what is the incentive to manufacture this lie. The men have admitted they were there at the same time and have not questioned any of the CCTV pictures. Even the one that shows them 200 metres from the house, at the other end of town from Salisbury Cathedral.

3 thumbs down... Not sure why our Internet Research Agency friends disapprove. Just helping you guys make sure your message gets through. 

You're not suggesting that an arm of the Russian secret service is trolling this board are you?

I'm shocked, shocked, I tell you.