mr cassidy got to know sergei skripal and yulia .
 
viktoria skripal is one of their closest living relatives and she spoke exclusively to bbc russian 's olga ivshina in russia about how the family are coping .
three weeks after the nerve agent attack in salisbury , sergei skripal and his daughter yulia remain in a critical condition .
ross cassidy , a haulage contractor , met mr skripal when he moved in next door in salisbury in 2010 , shortly after the russian arrived in a spy swap with moscow .
viktoria skripal not hopeful about former russian spy and daughter in nerve agent attack the niece of the poisoned former russian spy sergei skripal has said he and his daughter yulia have only a slim chance of surviving .
the best friend of sergei skripal believes the poisoned double agent and his daughter yulia are so critically ill they should be allowed to die .
viktoria skripal said the prognosis for both “ really is n’t good ” following the novichok nerve agent attack in salisbury , wiltshire , on 4 march .
” salisbury health risks assessed as £ 1 m aid package approved read more she also revealed that skripal ’s mother had not been told of the incident , adding : “ the first priority was to protect our granny so that she would n’t hear or find out anything .