Skripal suspect is Russian ‘military doctor’, investigatory website claims

PA

A military doctor employed by Russia's GRU intelligence agency was one of the two suspects accused of carrying out the Salisbury nerve agent attack, an investigatory website claimed.

The two suspects in the attempted assassination of ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal were originally named by the UK authorities as Ruslan Boshirov and Alexander Petrov – although it was made clear that the names were aliases.

The suspect identified as Petrov was actually Dr Alexander Yevgenyevich Mishkin, the Bellingcat group said.

An extensive investigation was launched into the nerve agent attack in Salisbury in March (Andrew Matthews/PA)
An extensive investigation was launched into the nerve agent attack in Salisbury in March (Andrew Matthews/PA)

The 39-year-old graduated from one of Russia's elite Military Medical Academies, the group's website said.

During his studies he was recruited by the GRU military intelligence agency and by 2010 had relocated to Moscow, where he received his undercover identity – including a second national ID and travel passport – under the alias Alexander Petrov.

Bellingcat has already identified Boshirov as Colonel Anatoliy Chepiga – a highly-decorated officer in the GRU.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: "We are not commenting as this is still a police investigation."

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