Skripal poisoning: Putin says suspects 'civilians, not criminals'

The two suspects in the poisoning of ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter are civilians, not criminals, Russian President Vladimir Putin says.
The UK government named them as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, and said they were from Russia's military intelligence service, the GRU.

Mr Putin said his government had found the pair and he hoped they would appear soon and tell their story.

Mr Skripal and Yulia were poisoned in Salisbury, in the UK, in March.
"We know who they are, we have found them," Mr Putin said in the far eastern city of Vladivostok.
"I hope they will turn up themselves and tell everything. This would be best for everyone.
"There is nothing special there, nothing criminal, I assure you. We'll see in the near future," he added.

BBC Moscow correspondent Sarah Rainsford called Mr Putin's words a "tantalising hint" that the two men will speak "very soon".

"But the question of course is who will we see because don't forget that, in the UK, the suspicion is that the two names that were given are in fact aliases," our correspondent added.

Russian state TV says one of the suspects, Mr Petrov, told the channel he might comment publicly on the case next week.


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45494627