Moscow has demanded a meeting with Sergei Skripal, the Russian former spy poisoned by a nerve agent in Salisbury, following his discharge from hospital.

Russia’s ambassador to London, Alexander Yakovenko, welcomed Skripal’s release from hospital on Friday, more than 10 weeks after he was poisoned, but claimed the UK was breaking international law if it did not allow access to him and his daughter, Yulia, who was also poisoned and was discharged last month.

Yakovenko said nobody actually knew if the pair were alive and suggested that, if they were, they may have already left the country. Scotland Yard made clear that no details of the security arrangements for the pair would be given. Salisbury district hospital announced on Friday morning that Skripal had been discharged.

The chief executive, Cara Charles-Barks, said it was good news that Skripal was well enough to be discharged. “That he, Yulia and DS [Nick] Bailey have been able to leave us so soon after coming into contact with this nerve agent is thanks to the hard work, skill and professionalism of our clinicians, who provide outstanding care to all our patients, day in and day out,” she said.(theguardian)…[+]