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Peskov on Bellingcat’s New Claims: Kremlin Will Not Use Media Info

In the absence of official information from the United Kingdom about suspects in the poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the UK, the Kremlin will not explain or comment on media reports, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Sputnik

"From the start, the Russian side appealed to the UK with a request to provide information on nature, circumstances of that case and any other details. No information has been provided through official channels. We cannot use information that comes from the media and we don't want to do so. Moreover, we will not engage in any explanations or comments on the topics that are thrown into the media," Peskov told reporters.  

The spokesman was responding to a question on whether the Kremlin assumes that Ruslan Boshirov and Alexander Petrov, who are accused by the UK of attempting to kill the Skripals, are civilians and are really who they claim to be.

"I will not say what the Kremlin assumes," Peskov said.

READ MORE: Ex-MI5 Officer Sheds Light on 'Narrative' Behind Book on Skripal

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On October 8, UK-based investigative blogger group Bellingcat, which earlier published groundless material, issued a story alleging that Alexander Petrov, a suspect in the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, was "in fact" a military doctor named Alexander Mishkin.

Such allegations are yet another part of the Bellingcat investigation into the suspects of the Skripal poisoning case.

On September 5, UK authorities made charges against two Russian citizens, Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, with regard to the Salisbury poisoning case.

Russia Still Denied Opportunity to Receive Any Data on Skripal Case - Kremlin
UK Prime Minister Theresa May insinuated that the Russian military intelligence service was behind the attack, adding that the poisoning had been approved by the Russian central authorities, something regularly denied by Moscow.

Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned on March 4 with what the UK authorities said was a military-grade nerve agent. London claimed that Russia had orchestrated the poisoning. Russia has categorically denied these allegations noting, that the United Kingdom had not provided evidence to substantiate its claims.

READ MORE: Salisbury Case ‘Problem' for UK Intelligence, 'The Skripal Files' Author Says

The situation led to an international row, with scores of Russian diplomats being expelled from the United Kingdom and other EU countries. Moscow has expelled UK diplomats from Russia in response to Britain’s actions.

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