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The commander of militia fighting the Russian army in Ukraine has claimed that the Kremlin murdered his former comrade on British soil.

On January 8, police found skeletal remains in a burnt-out car in Guernsey belonging to of Mikus Alps - a 33 year-old Latvian man who was reported missing last week.

Police suspect that the body belongs to Mr Alps, but will not be able to confirm until forensic investigations are completed later this week.

But now his ex-commander says Mikus, know as Mick, who fought in a volunteer brigade trying to expel Putin's troops from the Crimea , was killed by the Kremlin for his role in standing up to Russia.

(Image: States of Guernsey Police)

Police also say that a shotgun and "other items" were found in the car.

Writing on Facebook the commander of the eighth detached battalion of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army, Andriy Cherven was clear about who he thought was behind the crime.

He wrote: "We have sustained a loss. My fighter was killed in England.

"A fighter of the eighth detached battalion of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army, Mick, was killed at the heart of Europe – on Guernsey, the Channel Islands.

"Mick has been a volunteer member of the battalion for the past two years.

He added : "Sicilian mafia is a kindergarten group compared with the methods used by the Kremlin to reach their imperial goals.

"They do not care where they kill – be it eastern Ukraine or the centre of Europe. They will not stop."

On Monday the investigation grew even more complicated after a letter purporting to be from Mr Alps was handed in by an unknown third party.

Patrick Rice, Guernsey's police chief, said: "While sombre and reflective in content, at this stage we cannot prove or disapprove whether this letter was written by Mr Alps."

Mr Alps' Facebook page was filled with references to his time in the Ukrainian Volunteer Brigade and he was an active member of a number of groups trying to organise aid for the occupied state.

Mr Alps car was discovered on Monday morning in a secluded area near Petit Bot on the island.

(Image: Reuters)

A post mortem examination and further forensic tests to identify the skeletal remains will take place next week.

Guernsey Police say they are keeping an open mind in the investigation.

Chief officer Patrick Rice said: "I am aware of a significant amount of speculation, being circulated both via social media and international media reports, in relation to our investigation into the circumstances surrounding a burnt-out car being found on the morning of Monday 8 January.

‘We have confirmed the identity markings on the car. The vehicle is registered to Mr Mikus Alps, who, as we previously confirmed, was reported missing on Wednesday 10 January.’

"Officers have carried out searches at various properties linked to Mr Alps, who was last seen at a residential address in St Saviour’s in the early hours of last Monday.

‘I can also now confirm the presence of parts of human skeletal remains in the car. This was confirmed following examination by a specialist in the field.’

Mr Rice said the investigation would take several weeks.

Russia has previously killed dissidents while they were outside of Russia.

In 2006 Alexander Litvinenko was a Russian spy poisoned with radioactive polonium-210 while drinking tea at London's Millennium Hotel.

He had fled to Britain in 2000 after being arrested in his home country for exceeding the authority of his position.

An inquiry concluded Vladimir Putin probably approved the murder.