Russia ‘spied’ on Skripals for at least five years, says national security adviser

Skripals were the subject of ‘interest’ since 2013

Russia’s intelligence agencies have been spying on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia for at least five years, according to previously classified intelligence over the Salisbury attack that has been made public.

In a letter to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the National Security Adviser Sir Mark Sedwill has revealed that Skripals were the subject of “interest” from the Kremlin’s security services since 2013 and there was evidence that Russia trained “special units” to use nerve agents.

‘It is highly likely that the Russian intelligence services view at least some of its defectors as legitimate targets for assassination.Only Russia has the technical means, operational experience and the motive for the Salisbury attack,’ he added.

Officials at NATO were not immediately available to comment.