Salisbury poisoning: Two men charged over Novichok attack are 'Russian military intelligence officers'

Two Russian men charged over the Salisbury poisonings are officers of Vladimir Putin's military spy agency, Theresa May has told the House of Commons.

Prosecutors said there is enough evidence to charge Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov with offences including conspiracy to murder in the Novichok attack on ex-Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in March.

In a statement that will deepen the diplomatic crisis between the two countries, the Prime Minister told MPs on Wednesday afternoon that intelligence provided by UK agencies indicates the two Russians responsible for the Salisbury attack are officers of Russia's GRU military intelligence service.

"This was not a rogue operation," Mrs May said. "It was almost certainly also approved outside the GRU at a senior level of the Russian state."

The Crown Prosecution Service now faces a battle to bring the case as Russia does not allow the extradition of its own nationals. A European arrest warrant for the two men - who police think were travelling under aliases and are now back in Russia - has been obtained.


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/05/salisbury-poisoning-two-russians-charged-conspiracy-murder-novichok/

What a surprise.  A nation (Russia) becomes an organized crime syndicate (or, organized crime takes over a nation), and the world discovers "Murder, Inc." within.

The close affiliation of the KGB and GRU with tactics of criminal enterprises was bound to lead to a mission merge sooner or later.  It should be unnecessary to mention that Vladimir Putin was formerly the head of the Soviet KGB.  When one is forced to let loose of the fantasia of communism, what else is there to do for fun?