Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal finally discharged from hospital after Salisbury nerve agent attack

Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal, who was exposed to a nerve agent along with his daughter, has been discharged from Salisbury District Hospital, the hospital said.

Mr Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, were admitted to Salisbury District Hospital along with Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey after being exposed to the novichok agent on March 4.

The hospital confirmed on Friday that all three patients had now been discharged.

Treatment of such patients involves “stabilising them, keeping them alive until their bodies could produce more enzymes to replace those that had been poisoned”, it said.

Lorna Wilkinson, director of nursing at the hospital, said: “We have been able to discharge Sergei Skripal.

“This is an important stage in his recovery, which will now take place away from the hospital.

“Treating him and the other two people poisoned by this nerve agent, while still providing outstanding care to the other patients who rely on our hospital, has been a huge and unprecedented challenge that I’m proud our staff at Salisbury Hospital have risen to.”

Scotland Yard said detectives are continuing to investigate the “dreadful” attack on Sergei Skripal but added it will not discuss “any protective or security arrangements” in place after his release from hospital.

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The Skripals’ dramatic story unfolded on March 4, when the father and daughter were found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury.

The pair had spent the afternoon having a drink at The Mill pub before heading to Zizzi’s restaurant.

By the time officers found them, their condition was described as “extremely serious”.

They were immediately taken to hospital, alongside DS Nick Bailey, the officer who first attended the Skripals.

The UK government blamed Russisa for the attack, which Prime Minister Theresa May described as a “brazen attempt to murder innocent civilians”.

But Russia denied being involved and said the UK had invented a “fake story”.

Ex-spy Mr Skripal was jailed for 13 years in Russia in 2006 for leaking the identities of Russian spies to the UK.

He was able to start a new life in Salisbury following a prisoner swap between Moscow and the US in 2010.