Poisoned Russian Daughter Issues First Statement

Good news on the fate of Yulia Skripal, who was poisoned along with her father in Britain: The 33-year-old issued a statement saying her health is improving. "I woke up over a week ago now and am glad to say my strength is growing daily," she says in a statement released by Metropolitan Police. Skripal thanked her caregivers and all those who've sent messages of goodwill, adding, "I am sure you appreciate that the entire episode is somewhat disorientating, and I hope that you'll respect my privacy and that of my family during the period of my convalescence."

The statement made no mention of the condition of her father, Sergei Skripal, a former Russian spy, but a relative suggested that his health might be improving, too, reports the Guardian. His niece, Viktoria Skripal, said she'd spoken to Yulia Skripal by phone, and in an audio recording made by Viktoria and played on Russian TV, a voice said to be Yulia's can be heard saying, "Everything's OK, he's resting now, he's sleeping. Everyone's health is OK. No one has had any irreversible [harm]." (Russia is widely blamed for the attack, but that didn't stop Moscow from trying to participate in the investigation.)