Alexander Perepilichny (pictured) died suddenly without being tested for nerve agent
The bodies of Russian exiles who unexpectedly died in Britain could be exhumed to test for nerve agent poisoning after Boris Johnson claimed yesterday that Moscow has been stockpiling Novichok – which was used in the Salisbury attack.
At least two dissidents remains are likely to be re-examined, after both Badri Patarkatsishvili and Alexander Perepilichny died suddenly without being tested for nerve agent.
Badri Patarkatsishvili was found dead in his £10million mansion in Leatherhead, Surrey, in February 2008.
Weeks earlier, the 52-year-old told police he feared he would be assassinated. The tycoon, who was a business partner of Vladimir Putin’s nemesis, Boris Berezovsky, said he believed his political enemies wanted him dead and that a four-strong team of hitmen had been activated to kill him.
Mr Berezovsky was also found dead in 2013 in Sunninghill, Berkshire.
A friend, who wished to remain unnamed for fear of the consequences, told the Telegraph: ‘The Home Office must consider exhuming Badri’s body. They never did the toxicological report on Badri.
‘Surrey police just said he had a bad heart and had a heart attack. But I had seen him before his death and he was absolutely fine. The next day he was gone.’
It was also revealed that tests for a nerve agent were not done in the case of Alexander Perepilichny, 43.
Mr Perepilichny, who had been investigating a Russian money-laundering scheme linked to the Krelim, collapsed after going for a run near his home in Surrey in 2012.
At the time, officers said the death appeared not to be suspicious although they were unable to determine the reason behind the tragedy.
An associate has now called for his body to also be exhumed: ‘He was never tested for nerve agent.’
Badri Patarkatsishvili (right) was found dead in his £10 million mansion in Leatherhead, Surrey, in February 2008. The tycoon was a business partner of Vladimir Putin’s nemesis, Boris Berezovsky (centre), who was also found dead in 2013 in Sunninghill, Berkshire
Foreign Secretary, Mr Johnson, said Moscow has been investigating ways of using nerve agents for assassination over the last decade in a breach of international rules.
Mr Johnson told BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show: ‘We actually have evidence within the last 10 years that Russia has not only been investigating the delivery of nerve agents for the purposes of assassination, but has also been creating and stockpiling Novichok.’
Yet Russian president Vladimir Putin has said claims his country was behind the Salisbury poisoning are ‘drivel, rubbish and nonsense’ as he won a landslide victory in yesterday’s election.
Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned with Novichok in Salisbury, Wiltshire, two weeks ago, and are still fighting for their lives in hospital following the incident.
Independent inspectors will arrive in the UK on Monday to test the substance used in the Salisbury attack, but the results will take at least two weeks.
And Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, has called for a fresh inquiry into a total of 14 deaths, including those of Mr Perepilichny, Mr Berezovsky and Mr Patarkatsishvili.