British investigators IDs poisoning suspect as Russian colone

A British investigative group released a report Wednesday identifying one of the two Russian nationals suspected of poisoning an ex-spy as a highly decorated colonel in the Russian GRU military intelligence agency. Russia denied the report.

Britain has charged Ruslan Boshirov and Alexander Petrov with trying to kill Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, England, on March 4 with a nerve agent called Novichok. Investigators at Bellingcat identified Boshirov as Col. Anatoliy Chepiga, a special forces official who received the Hero of Russia medal in 2014. Bellingcat connected Boshirov to passports of Chepiga from 2003 and 2009, adding it also received tips from former Russian military officials.

Russia has denied responsibility for the attack and claimed the two accused men are civilians. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Britain lacks proof of Russia’s involvement, “so they continue this information campaign, the main goal of which is to distract attention from the main question: What happened in Salisbury?”

Britain has issued Europewide arrest warrants for Boshirov and Petrov.