Promised to call but they haven’t
politicians in the Kaliningrad region, to the north-east of Poland.
She sat in her green patterned dressing gown, wearing black socks adorned with love hearts, as she spoke about her lost loved ones.
Using a walking frame she moved slowly from her bed to sit on a red sofa to speak of her son. “I know that Yulia – who really is a lovely granddaughter – went to visit him in England.
“They promised to call me back but unfortunately they haven’t.” Yelena has her niece Viktoria and family for company and shares her first floor apartment with them. They constantly pop in and out of her room and it’s clear they are very close.
Yelena gave birth to Sergei in Kaliningrad in 1951. But the family decided to move to Russia “proper” for a better life. Yelena remembers the date well.
“It was 27 March, 1987 when we moved from Kaliningrad,” she said. “It
a certain conversation to maximise the amount of intelligence they can glean from him.
Even knowing he is still in the UK would be of use to an intelligence officer eager to please his spymasters and, ultimately, Putin.
It would be inhuman to put this elderly lady under such pressure to betray her son and he knows that, for her sake, he should not contact her.
He also knows that he would have to be so careful in the conversation that it would be stilted – and probably leave her feeling worse than before. was a new start for our family.” Sergei then went to work for the feared GRU military intelligence division and moved to Moscow.
It’s clear that he was a much-loved and highly respected son even after his fall from grace.
Despite Putin’s view of her son, Yelena said: “I’m so proud of what Sergei achieved in his life.
“For many years he used to live and work in Moscow and I often went down to visit him and his family.
“When he was swapped between Russia and the US I had a heart attack and doctors told me I couldn’t travel. “I’ve always regretted that.”
As she sat chatting, she patted her pet cat called Silver, an 11-year-old Persian. Above her bed are two religious icons Sergei brought back from Spain for her.
On the wall opposite are two more icons given to her by her beloved daughter-in-law father’s funeral. I remember it well. It before she died. was a such a sad occasion – I had no
“She knew she was dying but idea that would be the last time I wanted me to have them,” smiled would ever hold my son.”
Yelena. “They are very special.” There was worldwide outrage after
She added: “My son is a it was revealed the two good man, a decent man, men suspected of carrying an honourable man – out the novichok attack Russia should be proud of worked for the GRU. him. He was a great servant Russia was ridiculed of his country. He was worldwide for claiming always a decent boy – he they were sightseeing and worked hard at his studies. had nothing to do with the
“His first posting away plot to kill the Skripals. was in Malta where he lived The potential assassins for six years and then he were later identified as came back to Moscow for Dawn Sturgess military doctor Alexander two years. He was then posted to work Mishkin and Col Anatoliy Chepiga. in Spain with his family.” Mishkin is from a tiny village called
She wistfully recalled their Loyga, 1000 miles from Moscow. meeting after the death of Chepiga is from Beryozovka, about husband. 5,000 miles from Moscow on the
She said: “The last time I saw him Russia/china border. was on September 25, 2004. It was his Ludmilla a year last her