POISONED EX-LEADER DECRIES RUSSIA
▶ Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine’s former president, says Europe has been ‘blind’ as fallout continues from agent attack
Former Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko has urged Europe to unite and wake up to Moscow’s “medieval policy”, after a retired Russian double agent and his daughter were poisoned in the United Kingdom.
In a rare interview, Mr Yushchenko, who is still scarred from facial welts that developed after a poison attack almost killed him in 2004, recalled his own brush with death.
He declined to say whether he thought Russian President Vladimir Putin was to blame, but said the Kremlin’s policies represented a major threat.
“I would like what we call ‘United Europe’ to finally realise the biggest challenge for its citizens is the medieval policy that Russia pursues in the 21st century,” Mr Yushchenko told the BBC.
“I feel pain for Europe being so blind – that European countries are so unfriendly to each other and have so little solidarity in respect to Russia’s policies.”
The poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, has resulted in global condemnation of Moscow.
Last week, more than 18 EU states, the United States and Canada announced the expulsion of more than 150 Russian diplomats in response to the nerve-agent poisoning.
Mr Yushchenko recalled the painful effects he experienced after swallowing dioxin, a toxic chemical.
“When I arrived home and kissed my wife, the first thing she said was: ‘Your lips taste metallic’,” he said.
An investigation concluded that the poison had been added to rice he ate at a dinner with two Ukrainian security officials.
“On the second or third day, my body started swelling,” Mr Yushchenko said. “My head grew in size, dramatically. The pain spread all over the body. And then I started having inflammations and pus forming all over my body.”
The attack happened while he was running for the Ukrainian presidency against Viktor Yanukovych, the candidate Russia was backing.
Asked if he believed that Mr Putin had ordered his poisoning, Mr Yushchenko answered: “I have an answer, but I cannot voice it.”
While Mr Yushchenko eventually won the election, Mr Yanukovych was elected in 2010, before being ousted in Ukraine’s revolution of 2014. He now lives in exile in Russia.
Yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested that Britain could have poisoned the Skripals.
“This could be in the interests of the British government, which found itself in an uncomfortable situation having failed to fulfil promises to its electorate about the conditions for Brexit,” Mr Lavrov said.
“In times of Cold War, there were some rules, but now Britain and the US have dropped all propriety and are playing children’s games.”
The diplomatic fallout between Russia and Britain continued to deepen during the weekend, as Russia pressed for consular access to Mr Skripal and his daughter.
The Russian embassy in London claims it is entitled access under normal diplomatic rules, but UK officials have been hesitant. The Skripals remain in a serious condition in hospital.
British foreign officials said on Sunday that they were considering Russia’s request.
Pressure is also mounting on British business leaders to boycott a major summit in Russia next month. The St Petersburg International Economic Forum is Russia’s main annual business meeting.
Last year, Bob Dudley, chief executive of BP, was among those at the forum.
Bill Browder, a US fund manager and anti-corruption activist, has said it would be wrong for British executives to attend.
“Doing business in Russia is going into business with the mafia,” he said, and that it would be “highly unpatriotic” for UK companies to attend.
BP has declined to confirm whether Mr Dudley will attend this year’s event, which is three weeks before the start of the Fifa World Cup in Russia.