What the papers say – September 6
Pictures of two men – Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov – lead the majority of Thursday’s papers after the pair were charged in connection with the nerve agent attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal.
The Times carries the headline “May vows revenge on Russia”, reporting that the Prime Minister is preparing a cyber war against Moscow’s spy network.
Tomorrow's front page: May vows revenge on Russia #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/ZvmYKoqiXQ
— The Times of London (@thetimes) September 5, 2018
The Daily Telegraph carries mugshots of the two men, reporting the suspects were caught on CCTV as they carried out the attack in Salisbury.
Thursday’s TELEGRAPH: Russian agency behind poison attack ‘is acting with impunity’ #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/5XxZC8Nmrt
— Helen Miller (@MsHelicat) September 5, 2018
The Guardian leads on the accusation from Mrs May that the poisoning was “not a rogue operation”.
Thursday’s GUARDIAN: ‘Not a rogue operation’ #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/4bf6mS1Frb
— Helen Miller (@MsHelicat) September 5, 2018
The developments in the case also lead the Financial Times, with the paper reporting the Kremlin saying they were “confused” by Britain’s naming of the suspects.
Just published: front page of the Financial Times UK edition Thursday September 6 https://t.co/H4lWhpJn8wpic.twitter.com/olRywE1E8I
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) September 5, 2018
The Metro refers to the pair as “Putin’s hitmen”, with CCTV reported to show the men smiling after the attack.
Thursday's front page:PUTIN'S HITMEN ON OUR STREETS#tomorrowspaperstoday#bbcpapers#skypaperspic.twitter.com/Nk2eW4wlnb
— Metro Newspaper UK (@MetroUKNews) September 5, 2018
The Independent carries the line from Mrs May that Britain will use its full range of security services to expose what it called the “malign activity” of the GRU – the foreign military intelligence agency in Russia.
Tomorrow's @independent front page #tomorrowspaperstoday To subscribe to the Daily Edition https://t.co/XF8VnDpHYFpic.twitter.com/79PG0iXIr0
— The Independent (@Independent) September 5, 2018
The Daily Mirror calls the pair “Putin’s assassins” alongside a picture of them walking in the Wiltshire city.
Tomorrow's front page: Putin's assassins#tomorrowspaperstodayhttps://t.co/5SLbIKr0Hypic.twitter.com/UAOzgv12bC
— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) September 5, 2018
The Sun carries the headline “smiling assassins”, saying the agents left a trail of poison after March’s attack.
Tomorrow's front page: Two spies dramatically unmasked as assassins behind Salisbury Novichok poison plot https://t.co/4wmGtlDth8pic.twitter.com/u1afUBl4OG
— The Sun (@TheSun) September 5, 2018
The Daily Mail also runs with the latest developments in Salisbury.
Thursday’s @DailyMailUK#MailFrontPagespic.twitter.com/3lUe986xfP
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) September 5, 2018
The Daily Express also leads with the Novichok latest, alongside a story about the death of BBC presenter Rachael Bland, two years after she was diagnosed with cancer.
Thursday’s EXPRESS: The smirking assassins sent by Putin #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/beSxvgwzeZ
— Helen Miller (@MsHelicat) September 5, 2018
The Daily Star also runs with the death of Ms Bland, after she told her three-year-old son to keep his good sense of humour.
Thursday’s STAR: Keep on laughing, darling boy #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/5Bfs14lkU1
— Helen Miller (@MsHelicat) September 5, 2018