Ruslan Borishov, the alleged co-perpetrator of the Salisbury novichok attack, was a highly-decorated Russian army colonel who saw active service in eastern Ukraine, investigators in the United Kingdom have claimed.
Revealing new evidence for the first time on Sept. 26, investigators say there is now little doubt that Ruslan Borishov is actually Colonel Anatoliy Chepiga, a decorated GRU operative and former Spetznaz special forces officer who received Russia’s highest state award, the Hero of the Russian Federation medal, for his activity in Crimea, Donbas or both.
Bellingcat, a UK-based organization of independent investigators and journalists, published the third part of an exposé presenting evidence that they say traces the military service of Chepiga, AKA Borishov, up until his career as a military intelligence operative for the GRU.
Ukrainian investigative journalists previously reported in September 2014 evidence that they claim shows Borishov’s special forces unit, the 14th Spetsnaz Brigade, was highly active along the Russian border with eastern Ukraine during this time. Bellingcat found the same and have also claimed his unit was likely deployed to Ukraine at this time.
The 2014 investigations relied heavily on photographic evidence and concluded that the Spetsnaz soldiers were likely transported into Donbas on low-flying Mi-8 helicopters during a period of intense hostilities. Russian soldiers have been repeatedly caught out by pictures shared on social media sites showing them in or near eastern Ukraine, despite the official Kremlin claim that there is no Russian military in the country.
Bellingcat also present evidence that they claim proves Borishov was not only an active combatant in eastern Ukraine in 2014, but that shortly after this he was highly-decorated for this service. The Hero of the Russian Federation is considered the country’s highest military honour and is currently bestowed only by decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Investigators also concluded, based on when Borishov was given his medal, it must have been for his activity in Donbas or Crimea. At the time, Russia wasn’t engaged in any other military operations.
British investigators used passport data, military records, photos, phone numbers and social media entries as part of a complex examination into the suspect’s past, his aliases and activity.
