THE third suspect in the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury last year has been named by investigative journalism site, Bellingcat.

After a four-month investigation with investigative partners, Bellingcat revealed today that the third GRU officer who was present in the UK at the time the Skripals were poisoned was a man named Denis Yvacheslavovich Sergeev.

They identify Sergeev as a high-ranking GRU officer and a graduate of Russia's Military Diplomatic Academy.

Salisbury Journal: Denis Sergeev. Picture: BellingcatDenis Sergeev. Picture: Bellingcat

Bellingcat said he had used two different passports between 2012 and 2018 to travel around the world, including into London early on the morning of March 2, 2018, two days before the attack in Salisbury.

He had booked a return flight from Heathrow to Moscow on March 4, the day of the poisoning, but did not board this and instead travelled to Rome.

Bellingcat said it was unclear what his role was, if any, in the preparation or execution of the attack, and said they could not confirm he had travelled to Salisbury while on the UK.

For more information, read the first part of Bellingcat's report here.