Vladimir Putin is the third registered presidential candidate

[Drummond]

my plan is not to sneak out.

Excellent ! That's well worth applauding. Good for you, Sir !

let me remind you that Skripal was serving a sentence in Russia for treason, he passed secret documents to the UK. Dmitry Medvedev pardoned him in 2010. After that, he was expelled to the UK. We didn't need him anymore. It was empty. He had served his sentence. and we let him go to the UK. What's the point of our country killing him? on the eve of elections 18.03.2010

I haven't done the research, so I don't know .. though I'm wondering if it was the case that Skripal became a 'traitor' simply because he, like other decent people, perceived aspects of Russian rule that he, as a man of conscience, just couldn't stomach ? Perhaps, at heart, he'd have much preferred to remain loyal to a country which was WORTH being loyal to, because it stood for, and practiced, decent values ?

I don't mean to insult you by saying this. I mean just what I say, in the way that I say it, as a perfectly honest appraisal. Your country has done much in its past that's lamentable !! From nearly inflicting nuclear extinction on the human race, for example, courtesy of the Cuban Missile Crisis, in 1962, thanks to its belligerence in placing nuclear missiles on nearby Cuba, in easy rapid strike range of the American mainland (obviously as first-strike weapons)...

.... or, the starvation programme visited upon Ukraine, from Stalin ?

.... or, the servitude of all the satellite countries suffered under the Soviet empirical setup ? ....

.... or, the invasions of Hungary, 1956, Czechoslovakia, 1968, Afghanistan, 1980 (interesting 12 year gaps, between each !) ....

... you know, 'LITTLE' things like those .....

So -- you might judge Russian traitors harshly. I would not ... because they may be acting as men of conscience. Because they possess a sense of decency which your politicians lack.

But as for Skripal ... he might've been targeted for no other good reason than that be could be used as an illustration to others what other Russians are required to fear, if they ever defy Putin. Since you've imminent elections, maybe the timing was perfect to teach that lesson to others ? H'mm .... ?

It's not as though your Russian rulers have a good track record when it comes to the sanctity of human life !!!!