On hitmen ‘a Kremlin ruse’

POISON Yulia Skripal survived traces of the crime. He said: “If ‘Petrov’ and ‘Bashirov’ don’t appear in the coming days… they are already dead.”

But a British military intelligence source rubbished his claims, saying the pair would be treated as ”heroes”. They said: “Killing them would damage morale of other officers. They may not be seen out in public but it does not mean they have been killed.

“It is possible these claims are being spread to account for their disappearance as it will make them less arrestable or serve some political purpose.”