GRU chief Igor Olegovich Kostyukov has gone to Istanbul while Vladimir Putin stays home – Kostyukov was sanctioned by the UK following the deadly Salisbury poisonings
A Russian spook accused of the “reckless use of a chemical weapon” in the 2018 Salisbury poisonings has travelled for ceasefire talks with Ukraine this week, according to reports. Igor Olegovich Kostyukov has gone to the talks in Istanbul, while Russian President Vladimir Putin remains at home, following speculation the Kremlin leader fears an assassination attempt.
Kostyukov, 64, is the chief of the Russian military intelligence service the GRU. Two members of the GRU, Anatoliy Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin, are suspects in the 2018 nerve agent poisonings of Sergei Skripal and his daughter. The Kremlin has always denied their involvement in the poisonings.
The attack also killed 44-year-old Dawn Sturgess, who came into contact with the deadly Novichok substance. In sanctioning Kostyukov in January 2019, then-Tory foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said the GRU “put innocent British citizens in serious danger in Salisbury”.
Now, reports say Kostyukov is among the Russian contingent that travelled in a special Kremlin aircraft to Turkey for the peace talks that have been shunned by Putin, despite an invitation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to meet face-to-face.
Col Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, the former commander of the UK’s Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment, told the Mirror there are “analysts” who believe Putin is a “dead man walking” because of his war in Ukraine. “I don’t think there is a chance in hell that he would or will turn up to Istanbul to face Zelensky as he would believe he could be in danger or face arrest for war crimes,” he said.
“Things are looking very bad in Russia as even the US now seems to be looking at conciliation with Ukraine as Trump is realising he has been played by Putin. “Putin cannot keep playing for time and his bluff has been called brilliantly by Zelensky’s challenge to meet him face-to-face in Turkey.”
Col de Bretton-Gordon said Putin is “incredibly paranoid” and has increased his security as Russia faces considerable troop losses in its war, as well as a continued slump in oil prices. Its revenues from exported oil has fallen to the lowest in nearly two years, according to the International Energy Agency.
US President Donald Trump, who will not attend the talks, downplayed Putin’s decision to skip the Istanbul meetings. “I didn’t think it was possible for Putin to go if I’m not there,” he said after previously floating the possibility he may attend earlier.
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, also plans to be in Istanbul on Friday for the anticipated Russia-Ukraine talks after a push for direct talks between Zelensky and Putin came amid a flurry of negotiations aimed at producing a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Zelensky, who is in Turkey, will only meet directly with Putin.
Among the Russian negotiators is Vladimir Medinsky, a vocal critic of the West and someone who has made statements calling Ukraine’s existence a “historical phantom”. He will lead the Russian delegation. Colonel General Alexander Fomin Russia’s deputy defence minister, is also in attendance with deputy foreign minister Mikhail Galuzhin.
The UK, meanwhile, has accused Putin of sending a “low-level” delegation to peace talks on Ukraine rather than agreeing to a face-to-face meeting with Zelensky. Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Nato counterparts including the US’s top diplomat Marco Rubio are taking part in a separate meeting in Turkey.
Mr Lammy said: “We come with one single message to stand by Ukraine and to ensure that we get a just and lasting, enduring peace. And the readiness for that peace is demonstrated by President Zelensky being here in Turkey as well. And of course, we watched closely as we head to these talks, noting the Russian low-level individuals who are coming to represent the Russian side.”
Overnight, Ukraine’s air force downed 62 of the 100 Shahed-type attack drones and other drones fired by Russia. Local authorities in Sumy said a missile strike on an industrial site killed three people and injured six others, while two others were killed in attacks on Kupiansk and Torske respectively.