Russian suspects in the Salisbury poisoning linked to blast in Czech Republic
CNNCNN — The suspects of the 2018 novichok nerve agent poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury, England, have been linked to a 2014 blast in the Czech Republic that killed two people. Putin has said the two men identified as suspects are “not criminals.” The UK foreign office said on Sunday: “It has been announced by the Czech authorities that the two GRU Officers that were charged with the attempted murder of the Skripals in Salisbury, Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, were also behind the deaths of two civilians and an explosion in the Czech town of Vrbetice.” Czech police say the men were in the Czech Republic between October 11 and October 16 of 2014, and added they also carried passports from Moldova and Tajikistan, under the names of Nicolai Popa and Ruslan Tabarov respectively. The Russian ministry alleged the move was “an effort to please the United States against the background of recent US sanctions against Russia, the Czech authorities have even surpassed their overseas masters in this regard.” Russian intelligence service Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said Saturday “there is well founded suspicion that officers of Russian Intelligence Services GRU, unit 29155 were connected to the explosion of a munition depots in Vrbetice in the year 2014.” He added that the blast “caused enormous material damage, serious threat and disruption of people’s lives, but especially, it killed two of our citizens, two unexpected and innocent fathers.” Babiš said he informed the European Council President Charles Michel about the investigation into the explosion. After that announcement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Russian state news agency TASS, “Prague is well aware of what will follow such tricks.” In a tweet sent Sunday, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Prague Jennifer Bachus said, “The United States stands with its steadfast Ally, the Czech Republic. We appreciate their significant action to impose costs on Russia for its dangerous actions on Czech soil.” British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the UK “stands in “stands in full support of our Czech allies, who have exposed the lengths that the Russian intelligence services will go to in their attempts to conduct dangerous and malign operations in Europe.” He added that it showed ” a pattern of behavior by Moscow, following the Novichok attack in Salisbury.” NATO said Sunday it supported the Czech Republic as it “investigates Russia’s malign activities on its territory.” “We express our sympathy to the loved ones of the victims of the explosion in Vrbetice.
History of this topic
Vladimir Putin ordered Novichok attack on my life, Salisbury victim Sergei Skripal tells Dawn Sturgess inquiry
The Independent
Russian GRU spies behind 2018 Salisbury poisonings also destroyed Czech ammo stores killing two in 2014 blasts having used same fake names for the covert operation, probe finds
Daily Mail
Alexei Navalny death: When Putin’s critic was poisoned with ’Novichok’ in 2020
Live Mint
Alexei Navalny death: When Putin's critic was poisoned with 'Novichok' nerve agent in 2020
Live Mint
Alexander Litvinenko killing: Russia responsible for assassination, European court rules
CNN)
Police Officer Poisoned by Novichok in UK Issues Cryptic Tweet on Alexey Navalny Case
News 18German Government says Vladimir Putin opponent Alexei Navalny 'without doubt' poisoned by Novichok nerve agent
ABC
Navalny poisoning: Police officer given Novichok in Salisbury issues cryptic tweet
CNNRussian Opposition leader Alexei Navalny poisoned by nerve agent Novichok: Germany
The Hindu
Alexei Navalny was poisoned 'using Novichok' nerve agent, says German government
The Telegraph
Nerve agent Novichok found in Russia’s Alexey Navalny: Germany
Al Jazeera
Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok found in Alexei Navalny’s system, Germany says
LA Times
Alexei Navalny Was Poisoned With Novichok Nerve Agent 'To Silence Him,' Merkel Says
NPRDiscover Related
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
