Second alleged poisoner identified as GRU doctor

LONDON: Online investigative journalists from the Bellingcat platform revealed yesterday what they called the real identity of the second of two Russian suspects allegedly responsible for the nerve agent poisonings in Salisbury, Britain.

The Bellingcat website claimed the Russian who entered Britain under the apparent alias of Alexander Petrov is Dr Alexander Yevgenyevich Mishkin, a trained military doctor working for Russia’s military intelligence arm, the GRU.

Bellingcat said multiple open sources, testimony from people familiar with the person and copies of personally identifying documents were used to identify the man they say is Mishkin. Last month, Bellingcat said the other suspect, Ruslan Boshirov, was actually Anatoliy Chepiga, a decorated GRU colonel.

British prosecutors charged the two suspects, in absentia, with conspiracy to murder and possession of a chemical weapon. Russia does not have an extradition treaty with Britain.

British police declined to comment on Bellingcat’s claim.

‘‘We are not going to comment on speculation regarding their identities,’’ London police said.

British police have previously said they believe the two men travelling as ‘‘Petrov’’ and ‘‘Boshirov’’ were using aliases, and they were still appealing to the public for more information.