Novichok Attacks, Moscow's Involvement and UK Response: Central Issues of the Inquiry
The poisoning incident involving Novichok in the city of Salisbury in south-west England during the spring of 2018 was an unprecedented incident that sent shock waves across the world. The targeted man, former Russian agent Sergei Skripal, survived an audacious assassination attempt, but an innocent British citizen, a woman named Dawn Sturgess, lost her life. An official inquiry was held last year, examining the poisoning of the Skripals, the response of emergency services, and the fatal sequence of events 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 partner, Charlie Rowley, fell ill at his home in Amesbury, Wiltshire. Tragically, Sturgess passed away on July 8, while Rowley pulled through but has suffered ill health since. At first, police thought it might be a drugs overdose. Within days, it became clear they had been poisoned with the nerve agent novichok. It is believed Sturgess applied with the substance thinking it was a fragrance. Rowley is believed to have discovered a vessel containing the agent made to look like perfume and given it to his partner. The inquiry heard that Sturgess was an unintended casualty of an unlawful foreign plot to kill.
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 poisoned by novichok at his home in Salisbury, seven miles south of Amesbury. Skripal had been living quietly in a suburb after a prisoner swap. Both became gravely sick but ultimately survived.
What Was the Motive for Targeting the Skripals?
The UK government are convinced that Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the attack on Sergei Skripal. A suggested motive offered is that Skripal possessed sensitive knowledge about the Russian presidentâs alleged financial crimes involving revenue from the metals industry. There have also been indications that Skripal continued to help western security agencies after his supposed 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 two Russian agents, using the names Petrov and Boshirov, smeared the nerve agent to the exterior door handle of the Skripalsâ house in the early afternoon on March 4. 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 key unanswered question of the case. A theory is they may have used a portable heat sealer to reseal the container during a unaccounted-for period 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 soon after the Skripal poisoning. Detectives found video evidence appearing to show 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 moved home with it. Yet, police have not been able to rule out the possibility of a second container, which remains missing.
How Dangerous Was 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 comparable to a speck of salt â might have caused death. After the poisonings, 87 people self-presented at A&E worried about exposure. Three police officers were contaminated, including DS Nick Bailey. Emergency services scrapped 24 vehicles they feared had come into contact with the poison.
Was Enough Done to Protect Sergei Skripal?
The victim's relatives 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, including simple surveillance.
Should More Have Been Done to Protect the Public After the Attack?
Similarly, Sturgessâs family believes so. No official alerts about handling suspicious items that may have contained the poison were issued after the Skripal poisoning. The former chief medical officer for England, Dame Sally Davies, claimed she had a clear memory of advising the public not to touch items near the scene in March. However, there is no documentation of such a statement. A public warning was only given after Sturgess was poisoned.
What About the Response of the Emergency Services?
The assessment is mixed. There were many instances of great bravery by paramedics, firefighters and police officers. However, local authorities has expressed regret for mistakenly labeling Sturgess as a user of illegal drugs. Rowley had a history, but Sturgess was not.
Did Skripal Have Luck to Survive?
Absolutely. A paramedic told the inquiry that he inadvertently administered Skripal a specific antidote, a drug used for certain poisonings, after knocking over a drugs bag. This intervention may have saved Skripalâs life.
The Russian Stance
The Russian embassy in the UK has claimed there are many âunanswered questionsâ around the poisoning. It points to claims that Skripalâs car was seen out on the morning in question 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.
