Putin: There's 'Nothing Criminal' About Men Accused Of Poisoning

Moscow has vehemently denied it is responsible for the poisoning. Well, I hope they will come out themselves and speak about themselves.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the two men accused by the United Kingdom of attempting to murder a former Russian double agent and his daughter are not criminals and have been identified as civilians.

This combination photo made available by the Metropolitan Police on September 5, 2018, shows Alexander Petrov, left, and Ruslan Boshirov.

Putin and Russian Federation have vehemently denied having anything to do with the poisoning.

British authorities have said that a European arrest warrant has been issued for the two Russians, who they suspect were using aliases.

"We know who they are".

Prime Minister Theresa May said intelligence showed the poisonings were state-sponsored by Russian Federation.

We know who they are, we found them. "They should go to some media outlet".

"There is nothing special or criminal about it, I can assure you".

Officers have formally linked the attack on the Skripals to events in nearby Amesbury when Dawn Sturgess, 44, and her partner Charlie Rowley, 45, were exposed to the same nerve agent.

Last week Britain charged two alleged agents of Russia's military intelligence agency with the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

Ms Sturgess died in hospital on 8 July.

The Kremlin leader spoke amid new revelations indicating that the "spies" who planted novichok in Salisbury may have stolen the identities of Russian people for their mission.

In a statement that deepened the diplomatic crisis between the two countries, the Prime Minister said: 'The GRU is a highly disciplined organisation with a well-established chain of command.

Detectives believe the front door of Mr Skripal's Salisbury home was contaminated with Novichok.

British police said the suspects, both about 40-years old, flew from Moscow to London on Russian passports two days before the Skripals were poisoned.

Prosecutors deem it futile to apply to Russian Federation for the extradition of the two men, since Moscow does not extradite its own citizens, but a European Arrest Warrant has been obtained and the authorities are also seeking the assistance of Interpol.