LONDON, March 20. /Offset. TASS Ilya Dmitriev/. Russian diplomats that the Kingdom ordered to leave the country amid a sharp deterioration of relations between the two countries because of the case Skripal, flew on Tuesday at home. Together with 23 staff members of the Embassy in Russia back family members.
In total the country has left about 80 people, which came from Moscow Il-96 special flight detachment “Russia”.
A week on the charges
Charges 23 employees of the Embassy and their families, Prime Minister Theresa may gave a week. Speaking on March 14 in the House of Commons, she laid on Moscow responsibility for the committed ten days earlier poisoning in Salisbury of ex-GRU Colonel Sergei Skripal, who was sentenced in Russia for espionage, and his daughter Julia. No evidence of it has not led, however, the package of anti-Russian measures announced. Expulsion is 40% of the Embassy staff walked in a restrictive list of the first room.
Organized for travel to Stansted airport situated to the North of the British capital, returning home the citizens met in the morning at the Embassy. The passage to a closed street in Central London, which leaves the Embassy was closed to the press. Therefore, the British videographers and photographers crowded away from enclosing the entrance to a private street grid.
At the Embassy, meanwhile, was dominated environment, reminiscent of the mass transfer or sending children to summer camp. Children of Embassy employees running around and animatedly talking with each other.
Left London and Pets. In cells that were gently immersed in the vans, had dogs, cats and even a rabbit.
Then someone turned on the March “Farewell of Slav”.
After the necessary preparations motorcade of vans and cars went with the territory of the Embassy.
The unexpected decision
At the airport prior to departing to Russia had already been reserved a separate room. The exit led directly to the airfield, where already waiting for the Il-96. In that time, the Embassy staff engaged in the loading and unloading of baggage, family members waited in the terminal.
Some of the wives of diplomats admitted conversation with the correspondent of TASS that the decision of the British Prime Minister though was a surprise to them, but much discomfort is not caused. Many admitted that they were happy to return home.
“For us it was a surprise – said Svetlana. But we knew he needed to be ready for anything, even if I have to pack for 48 hours.” According to her, the experience brought together people at the Embassy.
“These days we are very much all United, we become one big family together and going. And besides, we’re going back home. This is great,” said Svetlana, smiling wearily.
On kids in the waiting room of the airport, it was too much, the stress of the last days is almost not affected. Some of them watched with interest the work of the journalists and posed for the cameras of TV channels, others habitually immersed in games on tablets, and others enthusiastically discussed the upcoming flight by a special flight.
Parents at this time were more concerned about the other. In particular, as the children continue studying, given that they are returning home in the middle of the school year and to get into the new school house will be very difficult. “The most challenging was all this confusion, – said Olga. School [at the Russian Embassy in London] on the basis of three quarters of the year closed, put all the marks of the quarter and year, now we will try to arrange children in a school community.”
The employment of Embassy staff
Russian Ambassador Alexander Yakovenko, who arrived at Stansted to support leaving, said that they will be employed in the Ministry of foreign Affairs and the Ministry of defence.
“Everything will continue his career”, – said the head of the Russian diplomatic mission in an interview with Russian journalists. “It’s two directions, – said Yakovenko, the Ministry of defense, because it concerns the military atasate, and the Ministry of foreign Affairs. So they will all return to their seats, and then they will be able to work in Moscow, and maybe they will be offered some positions in other countries, so that the case is absolutely normal, everyday”.
He noted that London has always been a difficult place to work, and on the other hand is “a place where you can learn a lot, because the Embassy itself is small, but works fairly efficiently.” But the experience, knowledge and skills of returnees will be in demand in other parts of the world, and, primarily, in Moscow. The Ambassador also did not rule out that someone of the wives go back to work, perhaps even in those organizations where they worked before. Many of them, he said, have higher education and speak foreign languages
“Of course, it is very unpleasant for many because they had, maybe some of his own life plans. But when you go to London, you realize that it is a complex country, and Britons can expect any surprises, especially in the framework of the policy pursued by the current UK government”, – concluded Jakovenko.
After a few hours of waiting, after all things have been loaded on Board, the aircraft began to tow to the runway. At this point, a number of foreign media watching the helicopters, and behind them after several Russian, said that the diplomats left the UK. However, the plane still for a few minutes stood on the landing field.
Moscow’s response
Another page in uneasy relations of Russia and great Britain upside down, but the diplomatic crisis, which is considered the most acute since the end of the cold war, is far from complete. Before the end of this week in London should start to return the British diplomatic staff. In response to “provocative actions” in the UK, the Russian foreign Ministry announced on March 17 persona non grata 23 a British diplomat, by ordering them to return home within a week.
In addition, Mei announced the termination of high-level contacts, increased control for private flights and financial transactions.
The Russian foreign Ministry, in turn, ordered to close the Consulate General of Bulgaria in Saint-Petersburg and to stop the activities of the British Council in Russia. Whether it London, introduced a new anti-Russian measures, will be known on Wednesday, March 21, during a speech in may in Parliament.
