Open source
The British investigative website Bellingcat and its investigative partner The Insider [Russia] have established the identity of one of the suspects in the poisoning of Skripals – a man named Ruslan Boshirov.
Following Bellingcat’s own identification published on its website, it was confirmed that the suspect using the cover identity of «Boshirov» is in fact Colonel Anatoliy Chepiga a high-ranking Russian intelligence officer, GRU Colonel awarded the highest Russia’s state award, Hero of the Russian Federation..
«This finding eliminates any remaining doubt that the two suspects in the Novichok poisonings were in fact Russian officers operating on a clandestine government mission … Since it is established that the Hero of the Russian Federation award is bestowed personally by the President of Russia, it is very likely that Vladimir Putin is familiar with the personality of Colonel Chepiga, because this award is given only to a few officers every year,» – the investigation notes.
According to investigators, Chepiga was sent to Chechnya three times. The specific operations in which he had participated are unknown. At the same time, it is known that he received more than 20 military awards during his service.
At some time between 2003 and 2010, [when he received a fake passport], Chepiga has received identity Ruslan Boshirov and he was transferred to Moscow. The investigators admit that he could have graduated from the Military Diplomatic Academy in Moscow [called the Conservatory, the GRU slang], considering his current rank.
In December 2014, Colonel Chepiga was awarded Russia’s highest state award, Hero of the Russian Federation. Chepiga’s deeds are described on the website of the DOSAAF branch of the Ivanovo district of the Amur region as follows:
«You can become a hero in our seemingly peaceful time. The native from the village of Mykolayivka, a graduate of the Far Eastern Higher Military Command School 2001, Chepiga Anatoly Vladimirovich, was served to Chechnya three times, has more than 20 awards and decorations. In December 2014, Colonel Chepiga A.V. was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation for conducting a peace-keeping mission.»
It is most likely that by peacekeeping mission it is implied a Russian military invasion to Ukraine. The reason Chepiga was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation is not specified in official documents. In addition, the relevant decree was not publicly issued on the Kremlin’s website. At the same time, the Far Eastern Higher Military Command School struck his name in gold letters at the monument to Rokossovsky.
As The Journalist reported, a doctor and an employee of the embassy are wanted in the Skrypals case.
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