Police have reportedly identified suspects believed to be behind the Sergei Skripal poisoning
- British investigators have reportedly identified suspects in the Sergei Skripal poisoning case.
- The "persons of Russia" are now reportedly in Russia, which has been accused of being behind the attack.
- Authorities believe a deadly Russian-developed nerve agent was smeared on the ex-spy's door handle.
Investigators have identified individuals believed to be behind the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, according to a new report from The Daily Telegraph.
British authorities have maintained that the Russian government was behind the nerve agent attack on the ex-spy in Salisbury, England, which Russia has forcefully denied. The new report further bolsters Britain's case: The "persons of interest" who have been singled out by counter-terrorism police and spy agencies are now reportedly in Russia.
It's not yet clear who the suspects are, or the full nature of the intelligence that investigators hold, though The Daily Telegraph cites flight manifests for UK flights as a source of clues.
Sergei Skripal, 66, has been in hospital since being exposed to Russian-developed nerve agent Novichok in early March. His daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, also fell ill, as did a police officer who was early on the scene, though both have since been released from hospital.
The nerve agent is believed to have been smeared on the door handle of Sergei Skripal's home in Salisbury. Russia has previously conducted tests on how to leave nerve agents on door handles, Britain has since revealed in a dossier of evidence against Russia.
The attempted assassination has sent relations between Russia and the UK plummeting, with Britain and its allies expelling dozens of Russian diplomats and Russia responding in kind in a series of tit-for-tat reprisals.