Skripal. Everyone knows that name now. Sergei Skripal has now become
synonymous with Russian assassination and Putin’s reckless pursuit of
his enemies on foreign soil.
Sergei
Skripal, former Russian military officer and UK double agent, and his
daughter Yulia survived the attack on their lives. The nerve agent,
Novichok, used by the Russian assassin, failed to take their lives.
Other innocent British citizens were not as fortunate.
Unlike
a gun or knife, releasing a nerve agent in a public area is not a
surgical attack. It is not one done with care, only harming the intended
target. Russia used a biological weapon to send a message. That not
only is the target expendable but so is anyone else unfortunate enough
to come across it. That the lives of British citizens are disposable as
long as Putin meets his goals.
This
particular attack left one British citizen dead and severely sickened
five others who now face life-long health problems. Two of those victims
were British police investigators.
When
the Kremlin sent their assassin to take out the Skripals, they did so
knowing there would be innocent British civilians harmed in the
process…they simply did not and do not care. Just like the attack in
the family park in Germany, Russia sees all of Europe as potential
collateral damage.