The Skripal Files : The Life and Near Death of a Russian Spy

Prologue: An unlawful use of force -- Part one. Agent. The pitch -- Sergei's journey -- Into the darkness -- Master race no longer -- Breakthrough in Madrid -- Inside the glass house -- The view from Vauxhall -- Back into the light -- Part two: Prisoner. Inside Lefortovo -- Litvinenko -- IK 5 -- Hitmen -- The fateful letter -- Operation Ghost Stories -- Deliverance -- Christie Miller Road -- Part three. Target. Sunday 4 March -- The fight for survival -- 'Highly likely' Russia -- The investigation falters -- The information war -- The long road to recovery.;"The explosive story of the poisoning of the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and what it reveals about the growing clandestine conflict between the West and Russia. Salisbury, England: March 4, 2018: slumped on a bench, paralyzed and barely able to breathe, were a former Russian intelligence officer named Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia. Sergei had been living a quiet life in England since 2010, when he was expelled from Russia as part of a spy swap; he had been serving a lengthy prison sentence for working secretly for the British intelligence agency MI6. On this Sunday afternoon, he and his daughter had just finished lunch at a local restaurant when they started to feel faint. Within minutes they were close to death. The Skripals had been poisoned, not with a familiar toxin but with Novichok, a deadly nerve agent developed in southern Russia. Was this a message from the Kremlin that traitors would not escape violent death, even on British soil? As Sergei and Yulia fought for their lives, and the British government and their allies sought answers, relations between the West and Russia descended to a new low. The Skripal Files ... lays bare the new spy war between Russia and the West. Mark Urban, the diplomatic and defense editor for the BBC, met with Skripal in the months before his poisoning, learning about his career in Russian military intelligence, how he became a British agent, his imprisonment in Russia, and the events that led to his release. Skripal's first-hand accounts and experiences reveal the high stakes of a new spy game that harks back to the chilliest days of the Cold War."--Jacket. The Explosive Story Of The Poisoning Of The Former Russian Spy Sergei Skripal And What It Reveals About The Growing Clandestine Conflict Between The West And Russia. Salisbury, England: March 4, 2018: Slumped On A Bench, Paralyzed And Barely Able To Breathe, Were A Former Russian Intelligence Officer Named Sergei Skripal And His Daughter, Yulia. Sergei Had Been Living A Quiet Life In England Since 2010, When He Was Expelled From Russia As Part Of A Spy Swap; He Had Been Serving A Lengthy Prison Sentence For Working Secretly For The British Intelligence Agency Mi6. On This Sunday Afternoon, He And His Daughter Had Just Finished Lunch At A Local Restaurant When They Started To Feel Faint. Within Minutes They Were Close To Death. The Skripals Had Been Poisoned, Not With A Familiar Toxin But With Novichok, A Deadly Nerve Agent Developed In Southern Russia. Was This A Message From The Kremlin That Traitors Would Not Escape Violent Death, Even On British Soil? As Sergei And Yulia Fought For Their Lives, And The British Government And Their Allies Sought Answers, Relations Between The West And Russia Descended To A New Low. The Skripal Files ... Lays Bare The New Spy War Between Russia And The West. Mark Urban, The Diplomatic And Defense Editor For The Bbc, Met With Skripal In The Months Before His Poisoning, Learning About His Career In Russian Military Intelligence, How He Became A British Agent, His Imprisonment In Russia, And The Events That Led To His Release. Skripal's First-hand Accounts And Experiences Reveal The High Stakes Of A New Spy Game That Harks Back To The Chilliest Days Of The Cold War.--dust Jacket. Prologue: An Unlawful Use Of Force -- Part One. Agent. The Pitch -- Sergei's Journey -- Into The Darkness -- Master Race No Longer -- Breakthrough In Madrid -- Inside The Glass House -- The View From Vauxhall -- Back Into The Light -- Part Two: Prisoner. Inside Lefortovo -- Litvinenko -- Ik 5 -- Hitmen -- The Fateful Letter -- Operation Ghost Stories ; Deliverance -- Christie Miller Road -- Part Three. Target. Sunday March -- The Fight For Survival -- 'highly Likely' Russia -- The Investigation Falters -- The Information War -- The Long Road To Recovery. Mark Urban. Includes Index.

The explosive story of the poisoning of the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and what it reveals about the growing clandestine conflict between the West and Russia

Salisbury, England: March 4, 2018.

Slumped on a bench, paralyzed and barely able to breathe, were a former Russian intelligence officer named Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia. Sergei had been living a quiet life in England since 2010, when he was expelled from Russia as part of a spy swap; he had been serving a lengthy prison sentence for working secretly for the British intelligence agency MI6. On this Sunday afternoon, he and his daughter had just finished lunch at a local restaurant when they started to feel faint. Within minutes they were close to death.

The Skripals had been poisoned, not with a familiar toxin but with Novichok, a deadly nerve agent developed in southern Russia. Was this a message from the Kremlin that traitors would not escape violent death, even on British soil? As Sergei and Yulia fought for their lives, and the British government and their allies sought answers, relations between the West and Russia descended to a new low.

The Skripal Files is a remarkable and definitive account of Sergei Skripal’s story, which lays bare the new spy war between Russia and the West. Mark Urban, the diplomatic and defense editor for the BBC, met with Skripal in the months before his poisoning, learning about his career in Russian military intelligence, how he became a British agent, his imprisonment in Russia, and the events that led to his release. Skripal’s first-hand accounts and experiences reveal the high stakes of a new spy game that harks back to the chilliest days of the Cold War.

The explosive story of the poisoning of the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and what it reveals about the growing clandestine conflict between the West and Russia. Salisbury, England: March 4, 2018: slumped on a bench, paralyzed and barely able to breathe, were a former Russian intelligence officer named Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia. Sergei had been living a quiet life in England since 2010, when he was expelled from Russia as part of a spy swap; he had been serving a lengthy prison sentence for working secretly for the British intelligence agency MI6. On this Sunday afternoon, he and his daughter had just finished lunch at a local restaurant when they started to feel faint. Within minutes they were close to death. The Skripals had been poisoned, not with a familiar toxin but with Novichok, a deadly nerve agent developed in southern Russia. Was this a message from the Kremlin that traitors would not escape violent death, even on British soil? As Sergei and Yulia fought for their lives, and the British government and their allies sought answers, relations between the West and Russia descended to a new low. The Skripal Files is a remarkable and definitive account of Sergei Skripal's story, which lays bare the new spy war between Russia and the West. Mark Urban, the diplomatic and defense editor for the BBC, met with Skripal in the months before his poisoning, learning about his career in Russian military intelligence, how he became a British agent, his imprisonment in Russia, and the events that led to his release. Skripal's first-hand accounts and experiences reveal the high stakes of a new spy game that harks back to the chilliest days of the Cold War. The Skripal Files is the explosive story of the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and the new spy war between the West and Russia from number one bestseller Mark Urban, Diplomatic and Defence Editor for BBC Newsnight. 4th March 2018, Salisbury, England. Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were enjoying a rare and peaceful Sunday spent together, completely unaware they had been poisoned with the deadly nerve agent Novichok. Hours later both were found slumped on a park bench close to death. Following their attempted murders on British soil, Russia was publically accused by the West of carrying out the attack, marking a new low for international relations between the two since the end of the Cold War. The Skripal Files is the definitive account of how Skripal's story fits into the wider context of the new spy war between Russia and the West. The Skripal Files explores the time Skripal spent as a spy in the Russian Military Intelligence, how he was turned to work as an agent by MI6, his imprisonment in Russia and his eventual release as part of a spy-swap that would bring him to Salisbury, where on that fateful day he and his daughter found themselves fighting for their lives