The identity of the second alleged assassin in the U.K. Skripal poisoning is now known. Turns out he’s a Russian military doctor. That certainly fits the M.O. of a team assigned by the GRU to poison someone. It makes sense to have a medical expert along who would know the proper protocols for dealing with a deadly military nerve agent (dosages, safe handling, etc.) and would know what to do if there was a problem (a leak, etc.).
And this is sad to hear – Mishkin’s grandmother had inadvertently helped unmask his true identity by bragging about him and showing around his photo when he received an award from Putin a few years ago (not surprisingly, his partner in th assassination attempt also received the same award). Now the grandmother, in her 90’s has gone missing. Let’s hope she’s just trying to hide out from media coverage and that something more sinister is not afoot.
The grandmother of the military doctor outed as a Salisbury assassin has disappeared after disclosing her grandson had been awarded Russia’s highest honour by Vladimir Putin.
The grandmother of Alexander Mishkin, whose identity was first disclosed by the Telegraph, vanished three days ago following reports that his real name was about to be revealed.
Mishkin, 39, a senior member of the GRU, Russian military intelligence, was given the Hero of the Russian Federation by Mr Putin at a ceremony in autumn 2014.
Nina Mishkina, now in her 90s, proudly showed to friends a photograph of her grandson shaking hands with the Russian president at the event. . . .
Chepiga [the other alleged assassin] had also received the same Hero of the Russian Federation, suggesting both men were known to Mr Putin, who previously insisted the men were civilians.
In fact they are both senior members of the GRU, the Russian military intelligence unit behind the nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury in March. . . .
In Loyga, the remote village where Mishkin grew up, neighbours said his grandmother, a trained doctor, had disappeared three days ago, after Bellingcat, an investigative website working with Russia’s The Insider, announced it was about to reveal her grandson’s identity.
Another incriminating detail from this article:
It has emerged that both Mishkin and Chepiga were given brand new flats in Moscow in autumn 2014 shortly after Mr Putin bestowed the honours upon them. Mishkin’s flat, according to the investigative website Bellingcat, was worth £350,000 and Chepiga’s £430,000.
