Familiar faces? Twitter compares ‘GRU Novichok assassins’ to Soviets in Schwarzenegger action flick

The photographs of ‘Ruslan Boshirov’ and ‘Alexander Petrov’ – the two men now accused by the UK of poisoning ex-Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury in March – reminded some observant Twitter users of the Georgian drug kingpin and his associate from the 1988 action film.
"Red Heat" film pic.twitter.com/aIiAY3vQcp
— Sergey (@sergeyseregin79) September 5, 2018
это жара. Красная жара pic.twitter.com/nFlpH7xtNP
— Alex (@Sasha80221) September 5, 2018
Others tried to imagine what the two ruthless Russian military intelligence agents would look like when dressed in their official Novichok uniforms.
The Russian suspects.... pic.twitter.com/GMDG1sG0GQ
— Russian Market (@russian_market) September 5, 2018
The names of the two suspects are also somewhat noteworthy – mostly for their total lack of noteworthiness.
“Worth noting that both names, ‘Alexander Petrov’ and ‘Ruslan Boshirov’ are ‘John Smith’ equivalents in Russian & Russian Muslim world. The 12 Russians indicted by Mueller in July for DNC hacking also had common, could-be-anybody names,” Amie Ferris-Rotman, the Washington Post’s Moscow correspondent, tweeted.
Others observed that a search for ‘Alexander Petrov’ returns more than 70,000 results on Russian social media site VKontakte.
There are at least 70'499 Alexander Petrovs according to Google & VK. A perfect name for a Russian Spy... Learn it, Mr. Bourne! pic.twitter.com/dsJQIquchZ
— Russian Market (@russian_market) September 5, 2018
The Salisbury case has always had an oddly theatrical ring to it. The very term ‘Novichok’ was popularized by British-American spy drama Strike Back.
It's strange that a British-American intelligence TV drama Strike Back had several episodes featuring Novichok nerve agent and Evil Russkies last year. Someone orchestrating political theater in the UK watches a lot of TV, or is advised by its producers. https://t.co/Pq2TIWn8xDpic.twitter.com/qEbc72T8J7
— Nina ☦️ Byzantina (@NinaByzantina) March 15, 2018
It seems that with all things Russia-related, media reports based on unproven government claims imitate art.
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