A joint investigation by the open-source Bellingcat investigative team claims a second man identified by British authorities as being involved in the poisoning of Sergei Skripal is also a military intelligence officer.
Earlier, Bellingcat and its Russian-language partner The Insider uncovered that the man who until now has been known as Ruslan Boshirov is actually Anatoly Chepiga, a colonel, was deployed to Chechnya three times and was awarded a “Hero of Russia,” Russia’s highest state award, in 2014.
In a preliminary report published on Monday, Bellingcat identified the second man — widely known as Alexander Petrov — as Alexander Mishkin and said he was a military doctor from a village in Russia's northern Arkhangelsk region.
Bellingcat said it would publish its full investigation into the identity of Mishkin on Tuesday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin previously said the two men shown in British surveillance footage near Skripal's home in the English city of Salisbury were civilians and there was nothing criminal about their activity.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
