The Skripal Files
Putin, Poison and the New Spy War
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
£0.00 for first 30 days
The Skripal Files
Buy Now for £11.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Mark Urban
-
By:
-
Mark Urban
About this listen
The Skripal Files tells the full story behind the Salisbury Poisonings, one of the most shocking incidents to occur in Britain in recent memory. Mark Urban interviewed Sergei Skripal in the months before the poisoning and explains why Skripal was targeted for assassination.
'A scrupulous piece of reporting, necessary, timely and very sobering' John Le Carré
Chosen as one of the best political books of 2018 by the Sunday Times
4 March 2018, Salisbury, England.
Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were enjoying a rare and peaceful Sunday spent together, completely unaware that they had been poisoned with the deadly nerve agent Novichok. Hours later both were found slumped on a park bench close to death.
Following their attempted murders on British soil, Russia was publicly accused by the West of carrying out the attack, marking a new low for international relations between the two since the end of the Cold War.
The Skripal Files is the definitive account of how Skripal’s story fits into the wider context of the new spy war between Russia and the West. The book explores the time Skripal spent as a spy in the Russian military intelligence, how he was turned to work as an agent by MI6, his imprisonment in Russia and his eventual release as part of a spy-swap that would bring him to Salisbury where, on that fateful day, he and his daughter found themselves fighting for their lives.
Listeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
What listeners say about The Skripal Files
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- MR RG CROSSLAND
- 05-05-22
A fantastic insight
This book is dense on information, particularly names. Take your time and absorb it, the author is diligent and an good reader too. Great stuff.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Martin Walsh
- 18-10-18
Enthralling read
An amazing insight into the workings of the GRU and the Russian mindset when it comes to traitors and how they should be dealt with. Mark Urban explains clearly how the events in Salisbury can be traced back to the 90s if not even earlier.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Matt Lowndes
- 08-11-18
Fascinating insight into a truly remarkable event
Mark Urban has provided exemplary commentary on an incredible chain of events. The research adds background and substance to the activities of the secret intelligence services across the globe and the subsequent nerve agent attack in Salisbury. Well worth a read or listen.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mr Josh Wyer
- 02-08-24
The background that led to that bench in Salisbury!
As someone who responded to the bench on that day in March 2018 as part of the 999 response, I was fascinated to hear more detail as to what led it to be. Mark Urban is great too, a well known voice to me growing up with an interest in current affairs.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- James R Hughes
- 05-09-24
fascinating tale.
author vert open on admitting his own errors. fascinating insight into an egregious act committed on British soil. authors aren't narrators, though!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- G. L. Beardmore
- 10-10-18
Excellent!
No hesitation in recommending Mark Urban's book, it's just so engrossing and a real eye opener. He paints such vivid picture of how and why we ended up in Salisbury with an attempted murder on the Skripal's lives.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- C
- 27-01-19
Entertaining and well written, but released too soon
Excellent and enjoyable. But released before the Bellingcat reports and TV interviews of Mishmin (alias Petrov) and Chepiga (alias Boshirov) it is post facto incomplete. A pity because otherwise very good.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Jimmy
- 22-05-20
excellent book
for those of us who are fascinated by the espionage genre this book is outstanding great work from Mark Urban
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mr M T Hardy
- 19-08-24
Quite confusing for the unfamiliar …
The skripals story is part of a much wider book about the post Cold War espionage activities of the east and west.
I don’t mind admitting I got mighty confused by the acronyms (past & present) for the Russian / Soviet espionage groups and the interactions between each and the individuals within.
A little detailed and wide ranging for me, but for those enthused by this stuff, fill your boots!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!