TV appearance tipped for Skripal suspects
The two Russian agents suspected of carrying out the Salisbury nerve agent attack are expected to appear on local television to deny their role, after Vladimir Putin said there was ‘‘nothing criminal’’ about the men.
One of them appeared to promise an interview to a Russian state news outlet next week, but it was unclear whether he was one of the pair wanted in Britain.
Two Russians known as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov have been charged with the attempted murder via nerve agent of Sergei and Yulia Skripal. The Metropolitan Police believes their names are probably aliases.
Asked about the case yesterday at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin tried to shift the blame from the Russian state, insisting that the accused men were ‘‘civilians’’.
‘‘We know who they are, we found them,’’ he said at a panel with the leaders of China and Japan.
‘‘I hope they will appear on their own to talk about themselves; that will be better for everyone. There’s nothing especially criminal there, I assure you.’’
His comments suggested Russia will soon put forward an Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov to deny or muddy the waters around Britain’s accusations. Downing Street last night dismissed Moscow’s denials, insisting the men were both members of Russia’s GRU military intelligence unit.
The prime minister’s official spokesman said: ‘‘We have repeatedly asked Russia to account for what happened in Salisbury in March and they have replied with obfuscation and lies.’’
Russian media reports have suggested that Boshirov is a 40-year-old Moscow State University graduate who was living in the capital. Petrov was said to be 39.