Novichok Attacks, Moscow's Involvement and UK Response: Key Questions of the Inquiry
The poisoning incident involving Novichok in the city of Salisbury in south-west England during the spring of 2018 was an extraordinary event that reverberated globally. The targeted man, former Russian agent Sergei Skripal, recovered from an audacious assassination attempt, but an innocent British citizen, Dawn Sturgess, tragically died. An public investigation was conducted last year, probing the poisoning of the Skripals, the response of emergency services, and the tragic circumstances that led to Sturgess's death. Below are several central issues it explored.
Who Was Dawn Sturgess?
The victim, Dawn Sturgess was a 44-year-old woman with three children. On June 30, 2018, she and her boyfriend, Charlie Rowley, fell ill at his home in a Wiltshire town called Amesbury. Tragically, Sturgess passed away on July 8, while Rowley pulled through but has experienced ongoing health problems. At first, police believed it was a case of drug poisoning. Within days, it became apparent they were victims with the chemical weapon Novichok. It is believed Sturgess applied with the substance thinking it was a fragrance. Rowley is believed to have discovered a container of novichok made to look like perfume and given it to his partner. The inquiry heard that Sturgess was caught “in the crossfire” of an unlawful foreign plot to kill.
What Was a Container of Novichok Doing in the English Countryside?
On March 4, 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 spy exchange. Both fell seriously ill but ultimately survived.
What Was the Motive for Targeting the Skripals?
The British authorities believe that Vladimir Putin authorised the assassination attempt on Sergei Skripal. A suggested motive offered is that Skripal possessed sensitive knowledge about the Russian president’s alleged financial crimes involving profits from metals production. There have also been indications that Skripal kept assisting intelligence services in the West after his supposed 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 4 March. 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 small sealing device to repackage the bottle during a “missing 33 minutes” when they disappeared from surveillance cameras and discarded it in a trash can. Rowley said he believed he found the bottle in June, a few days before giving it to Sturgess. However, police think it more likely he found it soon after the Skripal poisoning. Detectives found CCTV footage appearing to show Rowley searching bins in Salisbury on the day the Skripals fell ill. If this is accurate, Rowley had the bottle for over three months and even moved home with it. Yet, police have not categorically dismissed the possibility of a another vessel, which remains missing.
The Lethality of the Novichok?
The inquiry was told it was of exceptional potency and could have killed thousands. A expert witness stated that a “minuscule” amount – as small as a sixth of a grain of salt – could have been fatal. After the poisonings, 87 people self-presented at A&E worried about exposure. Several officers were contaminated, including Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey. Emergency services disposed of two dozen vehicles they feared had come into contact with the poison.
Was Enough Done to Protect Sergei Skripal?
Sturgess’s family believes so. They assert that he was a “clear and obvious” target for the Russian state but was provided with little protection in Salisbury. Skripal is reportedly declined security measures, including simple surveillance.
Could More Have Been Done to Protect the Public After the Attack?
Similarly, Sturgess’s family holds this view. No official alerts about handling suspicious items that may have contained the poison were issued after the initial attack. The former chief medical officer for England, Dame Sally Davies, said she recalled clear memory of advising the public not to pick up objects near the scene in March. However, there is no record of such a warning. A alert was only given after Sturgess was poisoned.
Regarding the Response of the Emergency Services?
The assessment is mixed. There were numerous acts of courage by emergency personnel. However, local authorities has apologised for wrongly categorising Sturgess as a drug user. Rowley had a history, but Sturgess did not.
Was Skripal Lucky to Survive?
Absolutely. A first responder told the inquiry that he accidentally gave Skripal atropine, a drug used for organophosphate poisoning, after a fortunate accident. This intervention may have saved Skripal’s life.
The Russian Stance
The Russian embassy in the UK has claimed there are numerous unresolved issues around the poisoning. It points to claims that Skripal’s car was seen 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 a multitude of false leads in the case.
