UNMASK THEM
BRIT cops today pictured the two Russian spies wanted over the Novichok hit - but clever technology will be needed to reveal their true identities.
The men are thought to have used aliases Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov when they travelled to the UK to poison former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury.
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Security experts are understood to have fingerprint and iris data for the two men - which means biometric technology should be able to unmask their real identities.
The GRU agents’ visa applications would have included the details as well as an up-to-date and clear picture.
They would have had to declare their dates of birth, address, job and banking details - likely including a recent statement - which could expose the extent of the suspected intelligence agents’ lies in entering Britain.
This biometric data - along with the identities of close relatives and recent trips to Britain and other Western countries - is required from Russians seeking British visas.
What we know so far...
- Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov wanted over attempted Skripal hit
- Cops have not sought extradition but European Arrest Warrant issued
- Suspects caught on CCTV in Salisbury “moments before attack”, cops said
- Petrov and Boshirov stayed in City Stay Hotel, East London, during time in UK
- Cops discovered minute traces of Novichok in hotel room two months after attack
- Skripal Novichok brought into UK in Nina Ricci ‘Premier Jour’ perfume bottle
- Kremlin hit back at claims and denied Russian role in botched assassination
- Theresa May told MPs the suspects were Russian military intelligence officers
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The names today released by Scotland Yard may not help to identify the men alone, particularly as their middle names - that denote the father's name - were not released.
There were no immediate claims of recognition of the two faces shown in CCTV footage.
Searches in Russia of the two names proved initially fruitless to media organisations in Moscow today.
Petrov and Boshirov - suspected to be travelling under aliases - arrived in the country at Gatwick Airport before getting a train from London to Salisbury.
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Incredible CCTV footage shows the pair - who are believed to be in the 40s - smiling as they stroll through the city on the day of the Skripal attack.
They were filmed "moments before" the botched hit on March 4 and left the country hours later in a flight out of Heathrow, cops said.
Cops searching their room on May 4 - almost two months after the attack in Salisbury - are said to have discovered minute traces of Novichok.
Police said Novichok was brought into Britain in a Nina Ricci ‘Premier Jour’ perfume bottle with a specially made poison applicator.
Speaking after Prime Minister's Questions today, Theresa May told the Commons the suspects were members of the Russian Military Intelligence Service and were not carrying out a "rogue operation".
Mrs May said: “Based on a body of intelligence, the Government has concluded that the two individuals named by the police and CPS are officers from the Russian military intelligence service, also known as the GRU.”
Sergei Skripal’s niece Viktoria Skripal said today: “So far I just see the pictures of two people unknown to me.
“One is with beard for some reason, the second is of Slavic appearance.”
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The PM confirmed that Petrov and Boshirov have been charged with conspiracy to murder Sergei Skripal; the attempted murder of Sergei and Yulia Skripal and Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey.
DS Bailey was the hero cop rushed to hospital after he helped the Skripals in Salisbury.
He has since recovered from traumatic incident.
In a joint statement with Scotland Yard, the CPS said: "There is sufficient evidence to charge two Russian nationals named as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov with offences including conspiracy to murder over the Salisbury nerve agent attack."
Police will not be seeking extradition for the pair, but Interpol Red Notices - which alerts all member countries that suspects are wanted - have been issued.
Scotland Yard also confirmed that both suspects had been to the UK before on the same passports and "travelled extensively on them in the past".
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The Kremlin has hit back at the announcement today with spokesman Dmitry Peskov denying any Russian role in the poisoning.
Peskov added that Moscow has no new information about the attack because Britain has refused to share case files.
The breakthrough in the Skripal case came after cops collected 4,000 hours of CCTV and 2,300 exhibits since the near-fatal poisoning of ex-KGB spy Skripal, 66, and Yulia, 33, in Salisbury in March.
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