The official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Maria Zakharova called nonsense appeals addressed to Moscow by the authorities of Canada, Germany, the United States and France, to begin cooperation with Britain in the case of the Violins.
In addition, a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the publication by the British side of photos and names of people allegedly implicated in the attempt on Julia and Sergei Skripal is a classic example of disinformation.
"The next exhaust that occurred on September 5 in London, another attempt to draw the attention of the international community, and states, and public organizations, and journalists to these photos and present them for photographs of people related to Russian state bodies, is a classic example of disinformation" , - said Maria Zakharova.
On September 5, the UK prosecutor's office published the names and photographs of two men allegedly involved in the attack on former GRU officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Julia in the British town of Salisbury. According to British law enforcers, the suspects are Russian citizens Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov. The same day, the head of the British Cabinet, Teresa May, notified the parliament about the progress of the investigation of the incidents in Salisbury and Amesbury.
- Official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Maria Zakharova
- RIA News
- © Mikhail Voskresensky
"Information warfare phase"
Recall, an ex-employee Sergei Skripal, who has gone over to the side of British intelligence and has lived in recent years in the city of Salisbury, was found on March 4 unconscious on the street. With him was his daughter Julia, who flew a visit to her father from Russia. The creaks were hospitalized, and on March 12 Teresa May accused Moscow of attempting the life of an ex-scout.
Allegedly, a chemical warfare agent, developed in Soviet laboratories and bearing the code name "Novice", was used against it. London referred to the findings of the experts of the chemical laboratory "Porton Down", located in the vicinity of Salisbury and notorious conducted in public trials of chemical weapons. However, in the "Porton Down" they refused to name the specific place of production of the poison, from which the Skripali suffered. This did not prevent the British authorities from laying the blame on Russia even before the investigation.
- Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Theresa May
- AFP
- © HO
The case of the Violins was the occasion for the expulsion of Russian diplomats from Great Britain and a number of other countries, as well as the introduction by Washington of a new package of economic sanctions. The oil was added to the fire by another incident - on July 4 in the neighboring town of Amesbury, two people were hospitalized - they allegedly also poisoned the "Novice", quite by accident finding a vial of this substance. Suffered a woman and a man, a woman doctors could not save.
On the eve of the publication by British prosecutors of photos of suspects in the case of the Violins, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) published a report confirming London's version that one of the same substance was used in Salisbury and Amesbury. However, the OPCW could not establish whether the poisons belonged to the same lot or were synthesized in different places and at different times.
- Julia and Sergey Skripal
- globallookpress.com
Now the British authorities claim that the current GRU officers are responsible for the use of chemical weapons in Salisbury and Amesbury, and the order for this operation was allegedly given "at the highest level".
In the opinion of Doctor of Political Science, Professor of Moscow State University Andrei Manoylo, in the west, an opinion has already been formed that it is Russia that is guilty of poisoning the Fiddles, and now the British authorities have also "confirmed" this point of view with a texture, albeit unreliable.
"The British side, apart from statements, this time presented data from surveillance cameras and data from specific people. We must respond to these charges. Now the strategy of action in this situation must be thought out, based on clarifying the personalities of those people whom the UK accuses of this crime. London should be asked the actual grounds for the prosecution and the evidence base on which they rely, "Manolo explained in an interview with RT.
According to the expert, this is the only way to influence the opinion of the Western public, although, unfortunately, many will not be convinced.
"The Russian side must show how our justice works. We must publicly take them for the gills. We send requests to them according to international norms, and they turn around. Their answers need to be published. Hide and do not provide materials only to those who have something to hide. We must crush them with our own literacy, we should not play with them, but to secure them to the wall legally, "the expert believes.
"Part of the Hollywood action movie"
However, to achieve some sort of clear information from London is very difficult: the British side simply ignores all the requests sent to it.
After the publication of photographs by the British prosecutor's office of the suspects in Moscow, they immediately announced that the Russian side named after London did not say anything. At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry urged Britain to abandon information manipulation and begin cooperation through law enforcement agencies.
But instead, London accuses Moscow of reluctance to contact the investigation. Similar statements by the British side sound especially strange, after the Russian Foreign Ministry published official requests to Britain to refute statements that Moscow allegedly does not go to contact with London. These requests were not answered.
As the press secretary of the Russian embassy in the United Kingdom said on Thursday, the British authorities did not even try to get any comments or information.
"No, we received no additional materials, explanations, requests. The British side once again declares that it is waiting for "answers" from Russia, but at the same time forgets to ask questions, "the embassy stressed, adding that the British words about the need for dialogue are not supported by any concrete steps.
At the same time, UK accusations against Russia contain many inconsistencies. This, in particular, drew the attention of Russia's permanent representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzia, speaking at a meeting of the Security Council. For example, both suspects are photographed at Gatwick Airport in different corridors, but at the same time, indicated in the pictures before a second, it's just implausible, Nebenzia said. And this is not the only oddity contained in the accusations of London.
"According to the data voiced by Theresa May, the suspects found themselves at the Scribes' house around noon on March 4, while earlier in all police reports it was alleged that the Skripals left the house early in the morning and did not return. How did they come into contact with the allegedly poisoned door handle of his house? "Nebenzia asked.
The position of London, according to which Moscow must find some arguments, defending its non-participation in chemical weapons incidents, contradicts the principle of presumption of innocence that is generally accepted for democratic countries. This was stated on September 7 by Maria Zakharova during the briefing.
"We are being pushed to a constant justification of ourselves. The principle of the presumption of innocence is the basis of democracy, "the official representative of the Foreign Ministry said. And she added that "it is not a person, state or structure that must provide evidence of its innocence," and the prosecution is obliged to provide strong evidence of guilt.
Pictures of certain people are not proofs, Zakharova explained.
"Photos are published, but where is the evidence?" We ourselves must guess what is being discussed, compare where these photographs are made? If the British side does not want to communicate directly, why not resort to mediators? "Zakharova is perplexed.
According to experts, London deliberately chose such tactics. The accusations are not practical but propagandistic in nature and are designed to impress not so much the Russian as the Western audience. This opinion was expressed in an interview with RT by journalist and political scientist Alexander Asafov.
"The mistakes and rough manipulations, which draws attention to Maria Zakharova, are not given any importance - for them this is part of the Hollywood action movie. Of course, with detailed consideration, all this does not look very convincing, but their task is to make a beautiful picture not for those who seek truth, but to show a caricature attack of evil Russians with unshaven faces and in amusing clothes. Discuss this or call for rationality is meaningless. For them, this is a good, convincing propaganda product, on the basis of which one can demand something, impose sanctions, and motivate their destructive actions in international politics, "the expert concluded.