“The code word used for the offensive chemical weapons programme (of which the Novichoks were one part) was FOLIANT,” he said. Yakovenko questioned the authenticity of her refusal, again complaining: “We cannot be sure that Yulia’s refusal to see us is genuine. Mr Yakovenko also accused the UK of deliberately classifying documents to obfuscate investigations and denied Russia had ever produced Novichok, the deadly nerve agent that Britain has named as the source, which has been backed by the OPCW as one of "high purity." In his letter, Sir Mark set out why the British Government believes that only Russia has the "technical means, operational experience and the motive" to carry out such an attack - including some declassified intelligence material. Gregory Katz and Vladimir Isachenkov, The Associated Press 

 



LONDON -- Russian intelligence agencies monitored the emails of former spy Sergei Skripal's daughter Yulia for at least five years before the two were poisoned, Britain's national security adviser said in a letter made public Friday. According to Sedwill, Russia regards some of its defectors as “legitimate targets for assassination.” Skripal, a former double agent, could be such target, which is why Russian cyber specialists had been hacking his family’s email accounts “at least as far [back] as 2013.”

Russia’s ambassador to Britain, Alexander Yakovenko, said in response: “If someone was spying, why were the British services not complaining about that?”

“They always complain if something goes wrong. "They agreed it was vital that the use of chemical weapons did not go unchallenged, and on the need to deter the further use of chemical weapons by the Assad regimen," a spokesman said, adding that they were still working on an international response.
Sir Mark Sedwill, national security advisor to the United Kingdom, says Russian intelligence targeted Yulia Skripal's email account.