Novichok Poisonings, Russia's Alleged Role and UK Response: Central Issues of the Inquiry
The Novichok nerve agent attack in Salisbury in the English countryside during the spring of 2018 was an unprecedented incident that reverberated globally. The targeted man, former Russian agent Sergei Skripal, survived an brazen effort to kill him, but an innocent British citizen, a woman named Dawn Sturgess, tragically died. An public investigation was held last year, examining the attack on the Skripals, the actions of first responders, and the tragic circumstances that led to Sturgess's death. Below are some of the key questions it explored.
Who Was Dawn Sturgess?
Dawn Sturgess was a 44-year-old woman with three children. On 30 June 2018, she and her boyfriend, Charlie Rowley, fell ill at his home in a Wiltshire town called Amesbury. Sturgess died on 8 July, while Rowley survived but has experienced ongoing health problems. Initially, police thought it might be a drugs overdose. Soon after, it became clear they had been poisoned with the chemical weapon Novichok. It is believed Sturgess applied with the substance believing it was perfume. Rowley is believed to have discovered a vessel containing the agent made to look like perfume and presented it to Sturgess. The inquiry heard that Sturgess was caught “in the crossfire” of an unlawful foreign plot to kill.
Why Was a Vessel of Novichok Doing in the English Countryside?
On 4 March 2018, former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, were poisoned by novichok at his home in Salisbury, not far from Amesbury. Skripal had been settled in a suburban cul-de-sac after a spy exchange. Both fell seriously ill but ultimately survived.
Why Were the Skripals Targeted?
The British authorities are convinced that Vladimir Putin approved the attack on Sergei Skripal. A suggested motive offered is that Skripal harboured secret information about the Russian president’s “criminal embezzlement” involving profits from metals production. There have also been indications that Skripal continued to help western security agencies after his alleged retirement from espionage. In response to the attack, the UK government expelled 23 Russian diplomats.
How Was the Attack on Skripal Carried Out?
British investigators believe a pair of operatives, using the aliases Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, applied novichok to the front-door handle of the Skripals’ house between noon and 12.15pm on March 4. When the former spy and his daughter left soon after to go out, they both touched the handle.
What Did the Agents Do With the Container of Novichok Afterwards?
This remains a central mystery of the case. One suggestion is they may have used a portable heat sealer to repackage the bottle during a “missing 33 minutes” 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 CCTV footage that seems to depict Rowley looking through rubbish in Salisbury on the day the Skripals fell ill. If that is correct, Rowley had the bottle for over three months and even relocated while possessing it. Yet, police have not been able to rule out the possibility of a another vessel, which has never been found.
How Dangerous Was the Novichok?
The inquiry was told it was of exceptional potency and could have killed thousands. A government scientist stated that a “minuscule” amount – comparable to a speck of salt – could have been fatal. After the poisonings, 87 people went to hospital worried about exposure. Several officers were affected, including Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey. Emergency services disposed of two dozen vehicles they believed were tainted by the poison.
Should More Have Been Done to Protect Sergei Skripal?
Sturgess’s family believes so. They contend that he was a blatant target for Putin but was given insufficient security in Salisbury. Skripal is reportedly declined security measures, even basic CCTV.
Could More Have Been Done to Protect the Public Following the Incident?
Again, Sturgess’s family holds this view. No official alerts about handling suspicious items that may have contained the poison were issued after the Skripal poisoning. The former top medical advisor, Dame Sally Davies, claimed she had a clear memory of advising the public not to touch items near the scene in March 2018. However, there is no record of such a warning. A alert was only given following the June incident.
Regarding the Performance of First Responders?
The record is varied. There were numerous acts of courage by emergency personnel. 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?
Without a doubt. A first responder told the inquiry that he accidentally gave Skripal atropine, a drug used for organophosphate poisoning, after knocking over a drugs bag. This intervention may have saved Skripal’s life.
The Russian Stance
The Moscow's diplomatic mission has claimed there are many “unanswered questions” around the poisoning. It points to claims that the Skripals' vehicle was spotted out on the morning of 4 March and that their mobiles were turned off for four hours. It also questions 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.
