Viktoria Skripal

If during the first three weeks of the Skripal crisis it was the British who made the running, over the last two weeks the initiative has slowly shifted to the Russians.
As is often the way, the Russians – caught by surprise by a crisis that seemed to come out of nowhere – initially responded reactively.
However as the weeks have passed they have gradually found their footing, and are now starting to score points.

The latest bizarre twist in the Skripal case came earlier today in the form of remarkable transcript Viktoria Skripal has provided of what she claims is a telephone conversation she has had with Yulia Skripal, who is currently in Salisbury hospital recovering from the Novichok attack.
My colleague Vladimir Rodzianko has set out this transcript in full.