A top Russian spy chief, Oleg Martyanov, has reportedly disappeared amid suspicions he helped develop the novichok nerve agent used in the Salisbury attack. The 58-year-old was relieved of his position on the Russian military-industrial commission in October, shortly after the Salisbury assassins were identified, and is now believed to be missing.
Martyanov, a veteran of the Afghan war, ran an elite technology department focused on futuristic military robots and undetectable poisons. He spoke about a 'future soldier' concept called Ratnik, a next-generation body armour for elite soldiers, and discussed utilising robots on the battlefield. His disappearance comes amid claims his experts produced the novichok perfume bottle used to poison former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in March.
A source told The Sun: 'Martyanov has disappeared off the face of the earth — it's extraordinary. He was a war hero and a top military man in charge of an elite special operations unit, but overnight he has become a ghost. It's not surprising there is speculation that his departure is linked to the Skripal attack. The timing alone speaks volumes.'
Two GRU officers, identified as Alexander Mishkin and Anatoliy Chepiga, are accused of carrying out the assassination attempt. The botched operation led to the death of Dawn Sturgess in June after she handled a contaminated container. British authorities named the suspects in September, and investigative group Bellingcat later revealed their true identities, noting both had been awarded the Hero of the Russian Federation by President Putin.
