There is sufficient evidence to charge two Russian nationals with offences including conspiracy to murder over the Salisbury nerve agent attack, Scotland Yard and the Crown Prosecution Service have announced.

The suspects have been named as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, both believed to be aged around 40.

Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Neil Basu said it is likely the suspects were travelling under aliases and Petrov and Boshirov are not their real names.

The CPS said it will not be applying to Russia for the extradition of the two men, but a European Arrest Warrant has been obtained.

The offences include conspiracy to murder Sergei Skripal; the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal, Yulia Skripal and PC Nick Bailey; the use and possession of Novichok contrary to the Chemical Weapons Act; and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Yulia Skripal and Nick Bailey.

The announcement comes after the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) confirmed the toxic chemical that killed Dawn Sturgess in Amesbury was the same nerve agent as that which poisoned Sergei and Yulia Skripal.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt welcomed the report and again levelled the blame for the attacks at Russia, who it is believed ordered the assassination of former spy Mr Skripal.

Three months after the Skripals poisoning Ms Sturgess and her partner Charlie Rowley fell ill at his home in Amesbury, near Salisbury, on June 30. The former died in hospital eight days later having never regained consciousness.

The incident sparked international outrage and resulted in the mass expulsion of Russian diplomats from several countries worldwide.

More than 117 agents were expelled were ordered to leave in what Theresa May called the "largest collective expulsion of Russian intelligence officers in history".

In a tit-for-tat response, Moscow expelled dozens of UK and US diplomats, bringing tensions between Russia and the West to a post-Cold War all-time high.