Putin calls on Novichok suspects to defend themselves in public
Vladmir Putin has encouraged two Russian men allegedly sent to kill former Soviet military officer Sergei Skripal to defend themselves publically.
The Russian President said the men identified by the UK as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov are “civilians”, claiming “there is nothing criminal here”.
Read more: US, France, Germany and Canada back UK on Novichok assessment
“We know who they are, we have found them,” Putin said in an economic forum address reported by Russian news agencies.
He called on the pair to make media appearances to address the allegations, saying he “wanted to address them directly”.
The UK government has officially accused Russia of ordering Skripal’s assassination, identifying the two men as operatives sent over to carry out the killing.
Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal both survived in the end, after spending weeks in hospital following the Novichok attack in Salisbury.
Putin’s remarks come after his government had dismissed the UK’s accusations.
British police charged the pair with multiple counts including conspiracy to murder and attempted murder last week.
Prime Minister Theresa May said the men belonged to a Russian military intelligence unit known as the GRU, calling it a “highly disciplined organisation with a well-established chain of command”.
“This was not a rogue operation,” she added. “It was almost certainly also approved at a senior level of the Russian state."
Read more: US to impose fresh sanctions on Russia on Monday following Novichok attack
The US, France, Germany and Canada have all supported May’s stance, issuing a joint statement to say Russia “almost certainly” ordered the Salisbury attack.