3rd Suspect Identified In Skripal Poisoning

Open-source researchers have identified a third suspect in the attempted assassination of a former Russian spy last March, reports Sky News (U.K.).

Researchers from the open-source intelligence platform Bellingcat identified Denis Sergeev, a senior member of Russia's GRU military intelligence agency, as the likely third suspect in the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury. 

Sergeev, 45, frequently traveled under the alias, Sergey Fedatov.

Sky News confirmed that Sergeev is thought to be a senior GRU official. 

Flight records show that he was in the U.K. during the attack. Sergeev was also in Bulgaria when defense industry businessman was similarly poisoned in 2015, reported London's Daily Telegraph.

Russian officials have worked to erase public records referencing Sergeev, as well as of Anatoly Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin, who Bellingcat previously identified as suspects in the attack. 

The Telegraph reported in September that British investigators believed there was a third who suspect, who visited Salisbury ahead of the attack on Skripal.

Officials say Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with novichok, a military-grade chemical agent, that was sprayed on their door. Although they recovered, another woman later died when she came in contact with what was believed to be the dispersal device.