British investigators identify third man in Russian spy poisoning: sources

LONDON (Reuters) - British investigators have identified a Russian military intelligence officer as a third suspect in the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal, two European security sources told Reuters.

The sources confirmed a report by the investigative website Bellingcat which on Thursday identified Denis Sergeev, a high-ranking GRU officer and a graduate of Russias Military Diplomatic Academy, as the suspect.

Skripal, a former officer in Russian military intelligence who betrayed dozens of spies to MI6, and his daughter Yulia, were found slumped unconscious on a bench in the southern city of Salisbury in March 2018 after being poisoned with the Novichok military-grade nerve agent. Both later recovered.

Last September, British prosecutors charged two Russians - known by the aliases Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov - with attempted murder in their absence. Russia has denied any involvement in the poisoning.