UK spy poisoning suspect part of Russian military intelligence: report

Report says Chepiga is highly-decorated GRU officer with rank of colonel, who assumed identify of Ruslan Boshirov for undercover mission.

Two Skripal poisoning suspects are 'civilians', says Putin

The British government has said Putin is ultimately responsible for the attack, a claim the Kremlin has strongly denied.

Britain has previously pointed the finger at Moscow for the March 4 attack, sparking furious denials.

The pair, both in their 40s, were initially believed to have taken heroin or crack cocaine from a contaminated batch of drugs.

Putin will meet Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen as well as Kurz on Tuesday.

It was the second showdown between Russia and Britain at the world body since the March 4 nerve agent attack.

UK and its allies say Russia was behind the poisoning of Skripal and his daughter, who remain in a critical condition in Salisbury.

Putin has promised to use his new term to beef up Russia’s defences against the West and to raise living standards.

Putin is standing against 7 other candidates, including millionaire communist Pavel Grudinin, but none are polling more than 8 per cent.

Russia is expected to announce the expulsion of some British diplomats in a retaliatory measure.