Putin: Skripal poisoning suspects are 'civilians'

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Europe

00:34

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday the two men accused by the UK of being behind poisoning attack have been identified as civilians and are not criminals.

"We know who they are, we have found them," the president said at the 4th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in the far eastern city of Vladivostok, urging the men, named by the UK as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, to address the media.

"I hope they will turn up themselves and explain themselves," Putin added.

Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, who were formally accused of attempting to murder former Russian intelligence officer and his daughter in Salisbury, UK, are seen in an image handed out by the Metropolitan Police in London, Sept. 5, 2018. /VCG Photo

"There is nothing special there, nothing criminal, I assure you. We'll see in the near future."

Britain has concluded on Sept. 5 that the two men charged for the attempted murder of a former Russian spy and his daughter with the nerve agent novichok were the officers of Russian military intelligence, the GRU.

The spy and his daughter were found unresponsive on a bench in the southern English city of Salisbury on March 4 after their believed contact with the nerve agent. Britain blamed Russia for the poisonings but Moscow denied any involvement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) greets Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe while visiting the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Sept. 10, 2018. /VCG Photo

Speaking at the forum, Putin also suggested Russia and Japan should sign a peace deal "without any preconditions" by the end of the year.

The president's sudden proposal came just two days after he said that the two countries' island dispute was unlikely to be settled soon.

The dispute between Russia and Japan centers on the four disputed Pacific islands which were occupied by Soviet troops in 1945 and are currently under Russian control.

Russia and Japan have long been at odds due to the territorial dispute, which has blocked a peace treaty between the two countries since the end of World War Two.

(With inputs from agencies)