VLADIMIR Putin’s shadowy spy chief has fallen ill after a furious dressing down from the Russian President over the bungled Novichok operations in the UK and Holland.

Col-Gen Igor Korobov, 62, was shaken and in sudden “ill health” after his confrontation with the enraged Kremlin strongman, it has been claimed.

5 Putin is furious with his spy chief over the botched Salisbury attack and the bungling GRU agents who were detained in Holland Credit: Getty - Contributor

At a meeting on Saturday at the Russian Defence Ministry the “morons” behind the botched spy operations - details of which have publicly emerged - were blasted by Putin.

In recent weeks, the true identities of two GRU thugs who carried out a failed assassination attempt on a former Moscow spy in Salisbury, Wiltshire, in March have been confirmed by investigative journalists.

Last Thursday, officials also revealed that four Russian spies were booted out of Holland in April for trying to hack a lab which was testing the nerve agent Novichok used in the attack.

Those in charge of the catastrophic blunders were denounced for their “deep incompetence” and “infinite carelessness" during Saturday's meeting in Moscow.

5 Spy boss Igor Korobov has suddenly fallen ill after being given a dressing down by the Russian President

5 Documents are said to prove the identity of Salisbury poisoning suspect Dr Alexander Mishkin

Russian President Vladimir Putin says two suspects in Novichok poison attack on Skripals in Salisbury have been found but they're 'not criminals'

They were taunted “Why didn’t you just wear Budenovka hats?” in reference to the Communist military uniform adopted after the Russian Revolution.

The explosive claims about Putin’s fury came today from Russian journalist Sergey Kanev, who has been close to revelations on the identities of the GRU agents sent to Britain and Holland.

He is known to have excellent secret services contacts and has fled into exile amid fears he faced arrest in Russia.

Kanev, who writes for The Insider, which has worked in tandem with UK-based Bellingcat in revealing details of Russian spy operations, said that GRU sources claim Korovov went straight home after his meeting with Putin.

5 CCTV shows the four men who tried to hack into the chemical weapons watchdog in Holland entering the country Credit: AP:Associated Press

A clean-out in the military spy agency is expected after the disastrous operations, with Korobov facing the axe, it was claimed.

The crisis is likely to impact Putin's close friend Sergei Shoigu, the defence minister, who is in overall charge of the GRU.

Kanev said: “It is quite likely Korobov will be fired before the end of this year and that Leningrad (St Peterbsurg) born General Sergey Gizunov will take his post.

“Gizunov is called ‘eyes and ears’ of Vladimir Putin in military intelligence.”

Last week, it was revealed that GRU spies were thrown out of Holland in April after being caught trying to hack into the global chemical weapons watchdog OPCW, which was probing the Salisbury nerve agent attack.

The Russian spooks were found with a cyber hacking kit in the boot of their car.

5 The two suspects were caught smiling as they strolled through Salisbury hours before the attack on the Skripals Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

London hotel bed remark in interview with Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, two men suspected in Salisbury novichok attack on Skripals, baffles reporter

Officials said the military agents were using diplomatic passports and were met by a member of the Russian embassy at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport.

The counter intelligence unit, who tried to destroy phones and removed litter from their hotel room, were carrying large amounts of cash on them while in Holland.

Putin's spy unit also tried to hack UK police in an attempt to further disrupt the probe into the poisonings, intelligence chiefs revealed.

The identities of the two men accused of attempting to assassinate Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, with the Novichok nerve agent on March 4 have also been revealed.

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Two weeks ago, website Bellingcat unmasked Ruslan Boshirov as Colonel Anatoliy Chepiga, a 39-year-old soldier who served in both Chechnya and Ukraine.

A former Russian officer told the investigative journalists that Chepiga's high rank suggested the Novichok hit was ordered "at the highest level".

Yesterday, the UK site revealed the true identity of his accomplice Dr Alexander Mishkin who is believed to be a high-ranking Russian military doctor.

Prime Minister Theresa May reveals that Russian nationals Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov are members of the GRU and are wanted in conspiracy to murder Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, Wiltshire

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