Novichok Poisonings, Moscow's Involvement and British Reaction: Key Questions of the Investigation
The Novichok nerve agent attack in Salisbury in south-west England during the spring of 2018 was an extraordinary event that sent shock waves across the world. The targeted man, former Russian agent Sergei Skripal, survived an brazen effort to kill him, but an bystander, Dawn Sturgess, tragically died. An official inquiry was conducted last year, probing the attack on the Skripals, the response of emergency services, and the tragic circumstances that ensnared Sturgess. Below are several central issues it explored.
The Identity of Dawn Sturgess?
The victim, Dawn Sturgess was a 44-year-old woman with three children. On June 30, 2018, she and her partner, Charlie Rowley, fell ill at his home in a Wiltshire town called Amesbury. Tragically, Sturgess passed away on July 8, while Rowley survived but has experienced ongoing health problems. At first, police thought it might be a case of drug poisoning. Soon after, it became apparent they were victims with the chemical weapon Novichok. Sturgess sprayed herself with the novichok believing it was perfume. Rowley is thought to have found a vessel containing the agent disguised as a perfume bottle and given it to his partner. The inquiry heard that Sturgess was caught âin the crossfireâ of an âillegal and outrageous international assassination attemptâ.
What Was a Container of Novichok Doing in the English Countryside?
On 4 March 2018, former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, were attacked with Novichok at his home in Salisbury, not far from Amesbury. Skripal had been living quietly in a suburb after a prisoner swap. Both fell seriously ill but ultimately survived.
What Was the Motive for Targeting the Skripals?
The British authorities are convinced that Vladimir Putin authorised the assassination attempt on Sergei Skripal. A suggested motive offered is that Skripal harboured secret information about the Russian presidentâs âcriminal embezzlementâ involving profits from metals production. There have also been suggestions that Skripal continued to help intelligence services in the West after his alleged retirement from espionage. In response to the attack, the UK government expelled 23 Russian diplomats.
How Was the Attack on Skripal Take?
British investigators believe a pair of operatives, using the aliases Petrov and Boshirov, smeared the nerve agent to the front-door handle of the Skripalsâ house in the early afternoon on 4 March. When the Skripals left soon after to go out, they both touched the handle.
What Happened With the Container of Novichok Afterwards?
This remains a central mystery of the case. One suggestion is they may have used a small sealing device to reseal the container during a âmissing 33 minutesâ when they vanished from Salisbury CCTV and left it in a bin. Rowley said he believed he found the bottle in June, a few days before giving it to Sturgess. However, investigators lean toward the idea he found it shortly after the attack. Detectives found video evidence that seems to depict Rowley looking through rubbish in Salisbury on the day the Skripals fell ill. If this is accurate, Rowley had the bottle for over three months and even relocated while possessing it. Yet, police have not categorically dismissed the possibility of a second container, which remains missing.
The Lethality of the Novichok?
The inquiry was told it was of very high purity and could have killed thousands. A expert witness stated that a âminusculeâ amount â as small as a sixth of a grain of salt â could have been fatal. After the poisonings, dozens of individuals self-presented at A&E worried about exposure. Three police officers were contaminated, including Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey. Emergency services scrapped 24 vehicles they believed were tainted by the poison.
Should More Have Been Done to Protect Sergei Skripal?
Sturgessâs family believes so. They contend that he was a âclear and obviousâ target for the Russian state but was provided with little protection in Salisbury. Skripal is said to have refused security measures, including simple surveillance.
Could More Have Been Done to Protect the Public After the Attack?
Similarly, Sturgessâs family believes so. No public warnings about picking up containers that may have contained the poison were issued after the Skripal poisoning. The former top medical advisor, Dame Sally Davies, said she recalled clear memory of advising the public not to touch items near the scene in March. However, there is no record of such a warning. A public warning was only given following the June incident.
What About the Response of the Emergency Services?
The record is varied. There were many instances of great bravery by paramedics, firefighters and police officers. However, local authorities has apologised for wrongly categorising Sturgess as a user of illegal drugs. Rowley was known to use drugs, but Sturgess was not.
Was Skripal Lucky to Survive?
Absolutely. A paramedic told the inquiry that he inadvertently administered Skripal a specific antidote, a drug used for organophosphate poisoning, after knocking over a drugs bag. This intervention potentially rescued Skripalâs life.
The Russian Stance
The Russian embassy in the UK has claimed there are many âunanswered questionsâ around the poisoning. It highlights claims that Skripalâs car was seen out on the morning of 4 March and that their mobiles were turned off for four hours. It also doubts the absence of cameras around the Skripal house. British investigators have stated there have been hundreds, if not thousands of false leads in the case.
