A highly-decorated colonel named as one of the suspects for the nerve agent attack on a Soviet former double agent in the UK was probably given Russia’s highest award by president Vladimir Putin.
Ruslan Boshirov – who appeared on Russian state television to declare he was an innocent tourist working in the sports nutrition business – was named by investigative website Bellingcat as military intelligence Colonel Anatoliy Chepiga, who was bestowed with Russia’s highest state award.
Col Chepiga, 39, received the award, Hero of the Russia Federation, in 2014 and common practice suggests it was given out by the president, Vladimir Putin, a former UK military intelligence official who tracked Russian agents told The National. Mr Putin earlier this month insisted the two men were civilians as he denied Russia’s role in the poisoning of Sergei Skripal.
Boshirov was pictured on security camera footage with another man, named by police as Alexander Petrov, in Salisbury at the time of the poisoning of Sergei Skripal using the military grade nerve agent novichok in March.
British authorities are understood to know the real identity of the men and said at the time they were probably aliases but have not publicly named them. The British Defence Secretary appeared to confirm Bellingcat’s findings with a swiftly deleted tweet.
The seniority of Col Chepiga, a 17-year-veteran of Russian special forces, provided further evidence that the attack was approved at a high level within the Kremlin. Col Chepiga and Mr Skripal appear to have followed similar career paths and could have known each other.
“This supplies a stronger link into Putin than has been seen before,” said Philip Ingram, a former British military intelligence officer. “It’s a significant award and whatever he got up has clearly impressed Putin, who would have been briefed.”
The elevated status of Col Chepiga was underlined by his boss at the GRU receiving the award three years later, said Mr Ingram.
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Read more:
[ UK plans new strike-back cyber force ]
[ Skripal suspects: We were just visiting the cathedral ]
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The British government has repeatedly said that the attack was approved at a senior level of the Russian state, without publicly detailing their evidence. Premier Theresa May told lawmakers earlier this month that it was “not a rogue operation. It was almost certainly also approved outside the GRU at a senior level of the Russian state.”
The timing of the award would suggest that it was for work during secret military missions in Ukraine. He was also deployed three times to Chechnya before being redeployed to Moscow under his new name in 2010, according to records unearthed by Bellingcat.
It published a photograph of Col Chepiga from 2003 that bore a strong resemblance to the bearded Boshirov, who appeared two weeks ago on state-funded network RT. It first identified Col Chepiga from photos of graduates of Russian military academies.
“Utterly predictable news that GRU behind Skripal atrocity,” said former foreign secretary Boris Johnson in a tweet. “What have you got to say, Putin?”
A spokeswoman for Russia's Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, rejected Bellingcat's claim, saying on Facebook that it is part of an "information campaign" against Russia.
Mr Skripal, 67, and his daughter Yulia, 34, both spent weeks in hospital after being exposed to the nerve agent. The Russian team is thought to have brought the novichok to Salisbury in a perfume bottle, which was discarded and then picked up by another couple. Dawn Sturgess, who lived in the town, died after being exposed to the agent. British police are still investigating her death.
The uncovering of Boshirov’s identity adds to suggestions that the attack in Salisbury was riven with mistakes. The death of Ms Sturgess added to political pressure on Russia following tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats by the UK, its allies and Russia.
The two suspects used passports with similar numbers amid reports that a number of travel documents with consecutive numbers have been used as fake covers for GRU operatives. The identification of those numbers would allow rival intelligence services to potentially track and identify other spies.
“It shows that the Russian intelligence services, who are very, very good, have been a bit sloppy with their administration,” said Mr Ingram.
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
Avatar (2009)
Director: James Cameron
Stars: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Revibe
Started: 2022
Founders: Hamza Iraqui and Abdessamad Ben Zakour
Based: UAE
Industry: Refurbished electronics
Funds raised so far: $10m
Investors: Flat6Labs, Resonance and various others
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
ASIAN RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP 2024
Results
Hong Kong 52-5 UAE
South Korea 55-5 Malaysia
Malaysia 6-70 Hong Kong
UAE 36-32 South Korea
Fixtures
Friday, June 21, 7.30pm kick-off: UAE v Malaysia
At The Sevens, Dubai (admission is free).
Saturday: Hong Kong v South Korea
Company Profile
Name: Direct Debit System
Started: Sept 2017
Based: UAE with a subsidiary in the UK
Industry: FinTech
Funding: Undisclosed
Investors: Elaine Jones
Number of employees: 8
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
Company Profile
Name: HyveGeo
Started: 2023
Founders: Abdulaziz bin Redha, Dr Samsurin Welch, Eva Morales and Dr Harjit Singh
Based: Cambridge and Dubai
Number of employees: 8
Industry: Sustainability & Environment
Funding: $200,000 plus undisclosed grant
Investors: Venture capital and government
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm
Torque: 530Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Price: From Dh299,000 ($81,415)
On sale: Now
Most polluted cities in the Middle East
1. Baghdad, Iraq
2. Manama, Bahrain
3. Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
4. Kuwait City, Kuwait
5. Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
6. Ash Shihaniyah, Qatar
7. Abu Dhabi, UAE
8. Cairo, Egypt
9. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
10. Dubai, UAE
Source: 2022 World Air Quality Report
MOST POLLUTED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD
1. Chad
2. Iraq
3. Pakistan
4. Bahrain
5. Bangladesh
6. Burkina Faso
7. Kuwait
8. India
9. Egypt
10. Tajikistan
Source: 2022 World Air Quality Report
A QUIET PLACE
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Djimon Hounsou
Director: Michael Sarnoski
Rating: 4/5
How champions are made
Diet
7am - Protein shake with oats and fruits
10am - 5-6 egg whites
1pm - White rice or chapati (Indian bread) with chicken
4pm - Dry fruits
7.30pm - Pre workout meal – grilled fish or chicken with veggies and fruits
8.30pm to midnight workout
12.30am – Protein shake
Total intake: 4000-4500 calories
Saidu’s weight: 110 kg
Stats: Biceps 19 inches. Forearms 18 inches
UAE’s revised Cricket World Cup League Two schedule
August, 2021: Host - United States; Teams - UAE, United States and Scotland
Between September and November, 2021 (dates TBC): Host - Namibia; Teams - Namibia, Oman, UAE
December, 2021: Host - UAE; Teams - UAE, Namibia, Oman
February, 2022: Hosts - Nepal; Teams - UAE, Nepal, PNG
June, 2022: Hosts - Scotland; Teams - UAE, United States, Scotland
September, 2022: Hosts - PNG; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal
February, 2023: Hosts - UAE; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal
The Lowdown
Us
Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseqph, Evan Alex and Elisabeth Moss
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Name: Mariam Ketait
Emirate: Dubai
Hobbies: I enjoy travelling, experiencing new things, painting, reading, flying, and the French language
Favourite quote: "Be the change you wish to see" - unknown
Favourite activity: Connecting with different cultures
Zayed Sustainability Prize
RESULTS
Bantamweight title:
Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) bt Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
(KO round 2)
Catchweight 68kg:
Sean Soriano (USA) bt Noad Lahat (ISR)
(TKO round 1)
Middleweight:
Denis Tiuliulin (RUS) bt Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
(TKO round 1)
Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) bt Joachim Tollefsen (DEN)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 68kg:
Austin Arnett (USA) bt Daniel Vega (MEX)
(TKO round 3)
Lightweight:
Carrington Banks (USA) bt Marcio Andrade (BRA)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 58kg:
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) bt Malin Hermansson (SWE)
(Submission round 2)
Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (CAN) bt Juares Dea (CMR)
(Split decision)
Middleweight:
Mohamad Osseili (LEB) bt Ivan Slynko (UKR)
(TKO round 1)
Featherweight:
Tarun Grigoryan (ARM) bt Islam Makhamadjanov (UZB)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 54kg:
Mariagiovanna Vai (ITA) bt Daniella Shutov (ISR)
(Submission round 1)
Middleweight:
Joan Arastey (ESP) bt Omran Chaaban (LEB)
(Unanimous decision)
Welterweight:
Bruno Carvalho (POR) bt Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
(TKO)
The specs: 2018 Renault Koleos
Price, base: From Dh77,900
Engine: 2.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 170hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 233Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.3L / 100km