Get politics updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid EmailThe former head of MI6 has warned that assassination is part of "Russian political DNA". Sir Richard Dearlove, who retired from the security services in 2004, has said that Russia is a "violent country" and warned espionage would never stop. (Image: PA)Last month Bellingcat, working with the Russian website The Insider, identified Boshirov as Colonel Anatoliy Chepiga - a highly-decorated officer in the GRU. Sir Richard, appearing on Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme, said: "Russian espionage, Soviet espionage, has never stopped. "The attack in the UK fits a historical pattern, Russia historically has always used assassination as weapon, it's part of the Russian political DNA, it's a rather terrible thing to say but it's a violent country and they tend to kill each other."

Source: Daily Mirror October 07, 2018 10:18 UTC