Yulia Skripal, the daughter of Russian ex-intelligence officer Sergei Skripal, both of whom were attacked with a nerve agent in the UK city of Salisbury earlier this year, met a friend from Russia in London after recovering from the poisoning, Sergei’s niece Viktoria said on Thursday.
"I know that before the [FIFA] World Cup was held in Russia, Yulia met with her friend from Russia, who brought buckwheat [for Yulia]. She met her in London, not where she lives," Viktoria told reporters.
Viktoria, who has repeatedly applied for a UK visa to visit her poisoned relatives but been denied entry, went on saying that neither she nor other members the Skripal family knew where Sergei and Yulia were currently residing.
"I know that they are in England because they call from an English telephone number, but I do not know the specific place [where they live]. We have not discussed this issue," Viktoria argued.
In an interview with Russia's Izvestia newspaper, Viktoria said that she remains "skeptical and partly ironic" about London's latest allegations about the two Russian nationals being involved in the alleged chemical weapons attack on Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Britain earlier this year.