Novichok: UK says it 'has evidence to charge 2 Russians over Skripal poisoning

The two suspects are named by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, neither of whom is in the United Kingdom.

"Prosecutors from CPS Counter Terrorism Division have considered the evidence and have concluded there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction and it is clearly in the public interest to charge Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov ... with conspiracy to murder Sergei Skripal and the attempted murder of Skripal, his daughter Yulia, and police officer Nick Bailey," a CPS statement said.

Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, at a restaurant in Salisbury, UK.

The pair are also charged with the use and possession of the nerve agent Novichok contrary to the Chemical Weapons Act and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Yulia Skripal and Nick Bailey, the statement said.

The two Russian nationals are believed to have been traveling under aliases, although they had genuine Russian passports with the identities of Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, the CPS said during a briefing.

Traces of Novichok were found in the hotel room where the men were staying, the City Stay Hotel in east London, but not enough to warrant any cause for concern, the CPS said.

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