We were tourists, say suspects

The two Russian men charged in Britain with poisoning a former Russian spy with a deadly nerve agent appeared on Kremlin-funded television on Thursday, denying their involvement in the attack and saying that their appearance in the English city of Salisbury was merely an “incredible, fatal coincidence”.

Ruslan Boshirov and Alexander Petrov made their first public appearance in an interview with the RT channel, saying that they had visited Salisbury as tourists to see its famous cathedral.

“Our friends have been suggesting for a long time that we visit this wonderful town,” Petrov said, while Boshirov added that they specifically wanted to see the cathedral’s famous spire and clock.

Britain last week charged Boshirov and Petrov in absentia, alleging they were agents of Russia’s military intelligence agency known as the GRU who were dispatched to Salisbury,to poison former Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with the nerve agent Novichok.

The British government on Thursday issued a statement after the interview was released, reiterating their claim that Russian authorities were lying about the case.

“The government is clear these men are officers of the Russian military intelligence service — the GRU — who used a devastatingly toxic, illegal chemical weapon on the streets of our country,” the statement said. “We have repeatedly asked Russia to account for what happened in Salisbury in March. Today — just as we have seen throughout — they have responded with obfuscation and lies.” AP

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