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Poisoned Daughter Of Ex-Spy Released From Hospital

This is a file image of the daughter of former Russian Spy Sergei Skripal, Yulia Skripal taken from Yulia Skipal's Facebook account on Tuesday, March 6.
AP
This is a file image of the daughter of former Russian Spy Sergei Skripal, Yulia Skripal taken from Yulia Skipal's Facebook account on Tuesday, March 6.

The daughter of a Russian ex-spy, who was poisoned along with her father last month in southern England, was discharged from the hospital, according to medical officials.

Yulia Skripal, 33, was released on Monday, while her father, 66-year-old Sergei Skripal, is improving rapidly.

"Yulia has asked for privacy from the media and I want to reiterate her request," Christine Blanshard, deputy chief executive and medical director at Salisbury hospital said in a news conference on Tuesday.

Blanshard said she wished Yulia well. "This is not the end of her treatment, but marks a significant milestone," she said.

She said of the patient's father, "Although he's recovering more slowly than Yulia, we hope he too will be able to leave hospital in due course."

The Skripals were discovered slumped on a bench at a shopping center in Salisbury on March 4. They were found to have been poisoned by a type of toxic nerve agent developed in Russia. The two had been undergoing treatment since the attack.

A police detective, who attended the scene where the Skripals fell ill, has also been discharged from the hospital, according to the BBC.

According to The Associated Press:

"The British government is likely to keep details about her location secret given the sensitivity of the case.

"If she is well enough, she is likely to be extensively questioned by British security officials and police about her recollection of events leading up to her poisoning, which sparked a major confrontation between Britain and Russia that recalls Cold War tensions."

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Scott Neuman is a reporter and editor, working mainly on breaking news for NPR's digital and radio platforms.