The real identity of one of the men wanted by Britain for poisoning Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury with a nerve agent, has been revealed as a decorated Russian colonel.

The investigative journalism website Bellingcat, has published what it claims is the true identity of one of the Russian intelligence officers suspected of the poisoning, the small English town.

Bellingcat claims the man, who until now, has been named as Ruslan Boshirov, is in fact Colonel Anatoliy Vladimirovich Chepiga.

The colonel was in 2014 awarded Russia’s highest medal, the Hero of Russia – an award that may have been bestowed personally by the Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The BBC has reported that British officials have not yet commented on the finding, but it understands “there is no dispute over the identification” made by Bellingcat.

It was thought he travelled to the UK on a false passport, under a pseudonym, with another Russian national who used the name Alexander Petrov.

Anatoliy Chepiga’s 2003 passport photo and (right) the picture of Ruslan Boshirov, released by police. Photo: Belingcat

Suspects Alexander Petrov and Mr Boshirov have previously been identified by the UK as members of Russia’s military intelligence service the GRU.

Britain has said the attack received approval “at a senior level of the Russian state”, an accusation Moscow has fiercely denied. Britain has charged Mr Boshirov and Mr Petrov with trying to kill the Skripals on March 4 with the Soviet-designed nerve agent Novichok.

Two Russian men later appeared on the state-funded RT channel and were ridiculed worldwide after they claimed they only went to Salisbury in early March to visit the “wonderful town” and see its famous cathedral.

Salisbury Novichok poisoning suspects Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov on CCTV in March. Photo: Metropolitan Police/Getty

They denied the British claim that they were Russian military intelligence officers, saying they worked in the nutritional supplements business.

‘Desperate fabrication’: Ms May attacks Russia at UN

Meanwhile, at the United Nations, British Prime Minister Theresa May has attacked Russia for its “desperate fabrication” over the poisoning of Mr Skripal and daughter Yulia.

Ms May says Britain has set out detailed evidence about the prime suspects in the nerve agent attack on former spy Mr Skripal and his daughter, while Russia has only sought to “obfuscate”.

“We have taken appropriate action, with our allies, and we will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure our collective security,” she told the United Nations security council on Wednesday.

“Russia has only sought to obfuscate through desperate fabrication.”

Ms May called on Russia to rejoin the international consensus against the use of chemical weapons.

She said there should be no doubt of the international community’s determination to take action if it did not.

-with AAP