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Yulia Skripal abducted by Britain to blame us, says Russia

The Russian citizen remains in a secure location after being discharged from the hospital where her ex-spy father remains.

Yulia Skripal is no longer in a critical condition
Image: Yulia Skripal has been discharged from hospital
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Russia believes Yulia Skripal has been abducted by Britain - and that the UK is faking sources in order to blame the Kremlin for her poisoning.

The Russian foreign ministry's spokeswoman told Sky News they are also suspicious of statements from the 33-year-old released through Scotland Yard.

Ms Skripal was discharged from hospital on Monday having spent five weeks being treated after she was poisoned in Salisbury alongside her ex-Russian spy father Sergei Skripal.

Maria Zakharova told Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan, in Moscow: "We just want to be sure that Yulia Skripal is actually better, that this is for real.

"We have zero information from officials in London about what is going on with her.

"We have suspicions that she's been abducted, held against her will."

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She claimed that the words in two statements from Ms Skripal, released via Scotland Yard, are not those which would be used by a young woman and questioned whether she even has access to the internet or TV.

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"London, and for us it's obvious, is faking so-called news and sources and theories. For us it's obvious that it's propaganda," she added.

"People should not say something without evidence."

The UK confirmed shortly after the incident that the family was poisoned with novichok, a Soviet-made chemical, with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirming on Thursday that "high purity" novichok was used.

Moscow has continually denied any involvement in their poisoning.

More than 150 Russian diplomats have been expelled from various countries after Britain pointed the finger at the Kremlin.

Sergei Skripal and Yulia Skripal
Image: Father and daughter: Sergei Skripal and Yulia Skripal

Ms Zakharova continued the denial and suggested that scientists at Porton Down, the Ministry of Defence's secretive laboratory near Salisbury, could have created it.

"Even if it's novichok, about 20 countries produced it," she said. "About 20 countries could have developed this chemical material - why have they pointed at Russia?

"Porton Down lab is British and the scientists working there are really known around the world, and this is just an idea, but this is obvious that Salisbury is close to Porton Down, not Moscow."

Maria Zakharova spoke to Sky News in Moscow
Image: Maria Zakharova spoke to Sky News in Moscow

She demanded details of the investigation be revealed to the Kremlin and asked why CCTV could not be released.

"I know Great Britain is full of cameras, CCTV, which is providing security, so where are the materials from these cameras, why are they so secret that they cannot be shown to the audience?

"What about cellphone communication between Skripal and his daughter?

"What about the house? We've seen in the media that they want to destroy the house but this is the main evidence in this case.

"The punishment which already happened - they already punished us by sending diplomats back - so please tell me how accusation and punishment can be before the investigation and not after."

Police officers in protective suits and masks collect samples near the bench where they were found
Image: Police officers in protective suits and masks collect samples near the bench where the Skripals were found

Ms Zakharova demanded that Russian experts be allowed to come to the UK and be involved in the investigation or provided with evidence.

"We don't know why we aren't being allowed," she said.

On whether Ms Skripal will be allowed to return to Russia, Ms Zakharova insisted that all Russian citizens can make up their own mind about where they live.

She wished her "all the health" but refused to do the same for her father, who was jailed for leaking Russian secrets to MI6.

"Sergei Skripal was a traitor and was put in jail and now, according to the law, he's not a prisoner, just an ordinary person."