Zakharova Suggests Bellingcat 'Exposed Itself' By New Article On Salisbury Poisoning

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2018) The UK-based Bellingcat project has exposed itself by publishing its new story dedicated to Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, suspected by London of committing the attack on Russian ex-intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the UK city of Salisbury, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said.

The investigative blogger group on Friday published the article claiming that officers of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) allegedly helped Petrov and Boshirov receive UK visas by attempting to compromise a UK visa center network.

"I knew that this moment will come and it came! Bellingcat has exposed itself," Zakharova wrote on Twitter.

Zakharova called the claims that "FSB officers helped officers of [the Russian military intelligence service] GRU receive UK visas without visa center checks" an anecdote, recalling that Bellingcat had claimed that Petrov and Boshirov worked for the GRU.

"They should have added that the officers of the [Foreign Intelligence Service] SVR were keeping the watch in the courtyard to the envy of the Russian National Guard. This is cool! The fantasy of our partners has no limits," Zakharova added.

Bellingcat has claimed earlier in fall that it had identified Boshirov as Russian military intelligence colonel Anatoliy Chepiga and suggested that Petrov was actually a military doctor Alexander Mishkin.

Both Boshirov and Petrov have said in an interview with the RT broadcaster that they visited Salisbury on the day of the attack for tourism purposes. They also denied any involvement with the Russian military intelligence and said they were working for the fitness industry.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Bellingcat was tied to security services and was used to publish information aimed at influencing the public opinion.

The Salisbury poisoning incident took place in March. London has blamed the attack on Moscow but Russia has denied any involvement in the incident, noting that no proof of its role has been provided. The United Kingdom has not provided any evidence of the involvement of Petrov and Boshirov in the case, too.

Moreover, the UK Porton Down laboratory has said it was unable to confirm that the substance used in the Salisbury attack was produced in Russia.

Moscow has said that it sent dozens of requests to London asking that it be granted access to the investigation into the poisoning incident. Moscow has also offered to work together with London and carry out a joint investigation into the attack. London did not respond to these proposals, instead claiming that Russia rejected its calls for cooperation.

Lavrov has said that the Salisbury poisoning case was falling apart due to the lack of proof of Russia's involvement in the attack on the Skripals.