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SICK Russian trolls are revelling in the Heathrow blaze chaos, joking that Vladimir Putin's Skripal poisoners have "gone on holiday" and struck again.

As terror cops lead the probe into the fire, social media trolls have chillingly jested it could have been a sabotage operation by the mad Russian leader amid peace talks with Ukraine.

Large fire engulfing a building at night.
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Huge flames rising from the substation in Hayes, west London, which supplies power to Heathrow AirportCredit: UKNIP
Mugshots of Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, suspects in the Skripal poisoning.
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Russian military intelligence GRU agents Anatoliy Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin - the suspects behind the Salisbury poisoningsCredit: East2West
Vladimir Putin speaking.
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There are suggestion Vladimir Putin may have run a sabotage operationCredit: Getty

One post on Kremlin-funded Readovka news outlet declared: “Petrov and Boshirov came to see the cathedral again.”

Petrov and Boshirov - real names Anatoliy Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin - were the notorious suspects in the Novichok poisoning of double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury in 2018.

Brit mum Dawn Sturgess died later that year after coming into contact with the nerve agent.

The GRU military intelligence officers, who posed as tourists visiting  Salisbury Cathedral, are now believed to be spearheading a major Russian operation to sabotage Western countries.  

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They are both wanted in Britain for murder and attempted murder following the heinous incident.

Another troll suggested the pair were travelling again: “Are Petrov and Boshirov on vacation?"

And: “Now Petrov and Boshirov went to see Big Ben.

"The excursion was a success."

And Putin's former PM Dmitri Medvedev has goaded Sir Keir Starmer to blame Russia for the fire.

He said on X: "I'm looking forward to Russia being blamed for the Heathrow fire. What are you waiting for, Starmer?"

Moment terrifying fire breaks out in busy plane cabin as panicked fliers desperately try to douse flames with bottled water

Heathrow Airport shut down after a blaze broke out at an electrical substation in Hayes, west London, at around 11pm on Thursday sparking a major power outage.

The carnage is set to last for days as devastated passengers are issued a "do not travel" warning.

Around 200,000 passengers have been left stranded as 2,000 flights to and from Heathrow were axed.

Follow our live blog for latest updates


It comes as...

  • Every flight CANCELLED from Heathrow Airport after fire sparked carnage – what it means for you.
  • Heathrow Airport closure: What are your rights and can you claim compensation?
  • The Sun's Head of Travel, Lisa Minot, shares her expert analysis.
  • 100,000 homes were cut off from power - now reduced to 4,000
  • 29 people evacuated and another 150 people from a 200-metre precautionary cordon around the fire site
  • No trains running to or from Heathrow today
  • 10 fire engines and around 70 firefighters still at the scene this morning

In what appears to be a concerted operation, the Russian trolls have blamed Britain for supporting Ukraine - with disruption to Heathrow serving as revenge.

One posted:  “Oh, that's not enough, for all the evil [the British] have done.

"They’ve been sowing evil around the world since time immemorial.”

Another said: “Burn this stinking island to hell along with its vile inhabitants.”

And: “Russians we did it.”

A terrifying nuclear warning was also made, with a troll saying that the UK "should have been charred for three years already".

They chillingly added: “Sooner or later, but it will have to be done.”

Screenshot of social media comments about a fire at Heathrow airport, with some users suggesting it was sabotage by Vladimir Putin.
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Russian social media trolls today claimed the Heathrow airport fire could have been a Putin sabotage operationCredit: East2West
Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia sharing a meal.
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Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were victims in the Salisbury poisoning of 2018Credit: East2West
Suspects in the Skripal poisoning, Anatoliy Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin, in an interview.
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Anatoliy Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin in an interviewCredit: East2West

Several suggested the blaze near London's biggest airport may have been caused by Shahed drones - the kind Russia uses overnight to blitz Ukraine.

Questions have also been raised over the UK's ability to defend itself, with the fire causing extensive chaos across the world.

One troll said: "That [was] Shahed, of course.

"Questions, what was the legendary NATO air defence doing?

“And how is everything built there, that one Shahed was able to disrupt the work of aviation all over the world?"

Other Russians suggested the Ukrainians were behind the blast, so that Russian would be blamed. 

HEATHROW CHAOS

Crowds and queues were seen at Gatwick, Manchester and Edinburgh airports and even in Paris as long-haul flights were diverted there.

And the impact is set to be felt for days to come.

A driver who witnessed the inferno, and its shocking aftermath, described it as "absolutely apocalyptic".

Adeel Anwar told Sky News: "The sky was darkening and it was just a scene that was chaotic. It looked like something out of a movie."

He said he could feel heat emanating from the blaze with his window down.

"I tried to just get out of the area as quickly as possible. I was not messing around there," added Adeel.

"You have to make a split decision. I'm not stopping to look around at something that is massive in size and just billowing black smoke."

Stranded passengers at Heathrow Airport with luggage.
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Stranded passengers at Heathrow Terminal 5 in LondonCredit: PA
Large building fire at night.
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Plumes of thick black smoke billowing over the areaCredit: UKNIP
Large fire engulfing an electrical substation.
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The huge blaze has left thousands without powerCredit: UKNIP
Illustration of Heathrow Airport map showing fire at North Hyde Electricity Substation and its impact on the airport.

In total, the airport closure is expected to impact more than 2,000 flights, according to .

At present 120 planes already circulating in Heathrow's airspace are being diverted or turned around.

Passengers from across the globe, from San Francisco to Australia, have been impacted.

The airport was set to welcome 665 departures today, which is around 145,094 seats.

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A further 669 flights were also due to arrive today, equating to 145,836 seats.

In total the airport was expected to see over 2,000 scheduled flights today, flying up to 291,000 passengers.

Fire at an electrical substation.
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White smoke continues to rise from the electrical substation in west LondonCredit: UKNIP
Terminal 5 roundabout signage with parking and traffic information.
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Bumper-to-bumper traffic around the airport this morningCredit: w8media
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