Nerve Agent Poisonings, Russia's Alleged Role and British Reaction: Central Issues of the Investigation
The poisoning incident involving Novichok in Salisbury in south-west England during March 2018 was an unprecedented incident that reverberated globally. The intended victim, former Russian agent the ex-spy Sergei Skripal, recovered from an audacious assassination attempt, but an bystander, Dawn Sturgess, lost her life. An public investigation was conducted last year, probing the poisoning of the Skripals, the actions of first responders, and the fatal sequence of events that ensnared Sturgess. 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 30 June 2018, she and her boyfriend, Charlie Rowley, fell ill at his home in Amesbury, Wiltshire. Sturgess died on 8 July, while Rowley pulled through but has suffered ill health since. At first, police believed it was a case of drug poisoning. Soon after, it became apparent they were victims 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 given it to his partner. The inquiry heard that Sturgess was an unintended casualty of an “illegal and outrageous international assassination attempt”.
Why Was a Vessel of Novichok Doing in South-West England?
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 settled in a suburban cul-de-sac after a spy exchange. Both fell seriously ill but managed to survive.
Why Were the Skripals Targeted?
The British authorities are convinced that Russian President Vladimir Putin authorised the assassination attempt on Sergei Skripal. One theory offered is that Skripal harboured secret information about the Russian president’s “criminal embezzlement” involving revenue from the metals industry. There have also been suggestions that Skripal kept assisting 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 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 Novichok Bottle Afterwards?
This remains a central mystery of the case. A theory is they may have used a small sealing device to repackage the bottle during a unaccounted-for period when they vanished from Salisbury CCTV and discarded it in a trash can. Rowley stated he thought 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 CCTV footage that seems to depict Rowley looking through rubbish in Salisbury on the fateful day. If that is correct, Rowley had the bottle for over three months and even relocated while possessing it. Yet, police have not categorically dismissed the possibility of a another vessel, which remains missing.
How Dangerous Was the Novichok?
The inquiry was told it was of very high purity and had the potential for mass casualties. A expert witness stated that a tiny quantity – as small as a sixth of a grain of salt – could have been fatal. After the poisonings, dozens of individuals went to hospital worried about contamination. 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?
The victim's relatives believes so. They contend that he was a blatant target for Putin but was provided with little protection in Salisbury. Skripal is said to have refused security measures, even basic CCTV.
Could More Have Been Done to Protect the Public After the Attack?
Again, Sturgess’s family holds this view. No official alerts 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 “strong recollection” 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 following the June incident.
What About the Response of the Emergency Services?
The assessment is mixed. There were numerous acts of courage by paramedics, firefighters and police officers. However, Wiltshire police has apologised for wrongly categorising Sturgess as a drug user. Rowley had a history, but Sturgess did not.
Did Skripal Have Luck to Survive?
Absolutely. A first responder 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 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 the Skripals' vehicle was spotted out on the morning of 4 March and that their phones were deactivated for four hours. It also questions the lack of CCTV around the Skripal house. UK police have stated there have been a multitude of false leads in the case.
