These are the two suspected Salisbury Novichok poisoners and their aliases pic.twitter.com/GiTc0bRRZu
— Daniel Sandford (@BBCDanielS) September 5, 2018
British police have charged two alleged Russian citizens, Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, with the attempted murder of Sergei and Yulia Skripal on March 4 2018.
At a private press briefing, the Metropolitan Police claimed it has enough evidence to charge Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov with conspiracy to murder over the alleged Novichok attack on ex-Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. The suspects were allegedly identified via CCTV footage cross-checked with border entry.
“Prosecutors from CPS counter terrorism division have considered the evidence and have concluded there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction and it is clearly in the public interest to charge Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, who are Russian nationals,” Sue Hemming, the Crown Prosecution Service director of legal services, said on the issue. “Those offences include conspiracy to murder Sergei Skripal; the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal, Yulia Skripal and Nick Bailey; the use and possession of novichok contrary to the Chemical Weapons Act; and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Yulia Skripal and Nick Bailey.”
“A realistic prospect of conviction means the CPS is satisfied on an objective assessment that the evidence can be used in court and that an objective, impartial and reasonable jury hearing the case, properly directed and acting in accordance with the law, is more likely than not to convict these two individuals of the charges.”
The suspects were caught on CCTV on Wilton Road at 11.58 on the Sunday “moments before the attack” pic.twitter.com/Zou2EZ07pH
— Daniel Sandford (@BBCDanielS) September 5, 2018
According to the provided datea, the suspects arrived at Gatwick airport on March 2, visited to Salisbury on the next two days, and left the UK at 22.30 on Aeroflot flight SU2585 from Heathrow to Moscow on March 4. In the UK, the suspects stayed in City Stay Hotel, Bow, London. British authorities claim that minute traces of Novichok were found in their hotel room.
The Russian Foreign Ministry commented on the report saying that the UK’s accusations over alleged involvement in the Salisbury and Amesbury incidents are groundless.
“Names as well as photos [of the suspects] published in the media don’t mean anything to us,” foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
She added that Russia is calling on the UK “to abandon making public accusations and media manipulations” and opt instead for “practical cooperation between law enforcement agencies.”
