Novichok culprit charged in Skripal poisoning case named as Russian colonel

  One of the two suspects in the case regarding the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury in March has been revealed as a Russian colonel, according to reports.

Ruslan Boshirov, who was charged alongside Alexander Petrov with the attempted murder of the Skripal pair by British police, was named as Anatoliy Vladimirovich Chepiga. Authorities had previously said they suspected the two men had used false identities to enter the UK.

The news was broken by intelligence news site Bellingcat, and was later confirmed by two European security sources familiar with the investigation to Reuters as accurate.

Read more: Skripals suspects visited Salisbury for its 'famous cathedral'

Russia denies any involvement in the poisoning, which utilised the nerve agent Novichok. The two men said in a recent interview that they had travelled to the UK as tourists to visit the city’s cathedral.

Chepiga is thought to have served in wars in Chechnya and Ukraine, and had received commendations from Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the Telegraph.

The Metropolitan Police declined to comment on the reports when asked by Reuters, however it appeared to be confirmed by defence minister Gavin Williamson in a tweet, which was later deleted.

"The true identity of one of the Salisbury suspects has been revealed to be a Russian Colonel. I want to thank all the people who are working so tirelessly on this case," he wrote on Twitter.