Skripal links to Trump dossier spy
Britain pushing for tougher sanctions on Russian president
under threat before, it is believed, when his rich pals were hit by sanctions over his aggression against Crimea and east Ukraine.
European and US sanctions against Putin’s cronies in 2014 following his annexation of Crimea led to rumours he was in trouble as billions were frozen.
Another massive clampdown on the bank accounts of dozens of Putin’s cronies could seriously threaten his super-wealthy and criminal support base.
Yesterday, Rudd threatened Russia with “quiet” retribution in response to the “brazen and eckless” poisoning of a former MI6 agent in Britain.
Insisting there will be “nothing soft” about our retaliation against “state activity”, she vowed: “You may not hear about it but when we do see that there is action to be taken, we will take it.”
Theresa May pledged: “If action needs to be taken, then the Government will do that”.
The Prime Minister added: “We will do what is appropriate, we will do what is right, if it is proved to be the case that this is state sponsored.”
Behind the scenes, furious British politicians are lobbying Europe and the US for support on a massive boost in sanctions against Russian individuals.
Many Russian suspects have property and business interests in the UK and the rest of Europe, and travel regularly to homes in London but could face a visa ban.
If they are suspected of links to Russian intelligence or the underworld, they may have their bank accounts frozen if they cannot prove their wealth was earned legitimately.
A senior security source said: “There are a few ways Britain can hit Putin hard, for instance via cyber attacks, but the best way is to hit him where he is weakest.
“That is among his wealthy associates who support him and who could soon turn on him if they see their ability to move and access that wealth crippled.”
Colonel Hamish de Bretton Gordon, the British Army’s former nuclear, chemical and biological weapons expert, said: “These nerve agents deplete in toxicity in time and the substance must have travelled.
“If it was carried in something brought back unwittingly, there would be little control over it so this may be difficult to believe.
“However it could have been a very professional hit, even though the targets have not died.” SERGEI Skripal was linked yesterday to ex-MI6 officer Christopher Steele, who wrote a damning dossier on US president Donald Trump.
The 66-year-old reportedly maintained ties with an MI6 handler close to Steele.
Orbis Business Intelligence, headed by Steele, have been at the heart of the US probe into alleged Russian election meddling in 2016.
Steele, who worked as a spy in Russia, produced a dossier on Trump that alleged he was compromised by the Kremlin.
Though not in the dossier, one Steele memo cited a source in the Russian foreign ministry, where Skripal reportedly worked, as saying Russia interfered in the chance of Mitt Romney being Trump’s secretary of state.
But a source said: “Skripal was GRU (Main Intelligence Directorate) and would be unlikely to be exposed to the Trump activities.”