Novichok Attacks, Moscow's Involvement and British Reaction: Key Questions of the Inquiry
The poisoning incident involving Novichok in the city of Salisbury in the English countryside during the spring of 2018 was an unprecedented incident that sent shock waves across the world. The intended victim, former Russian agent the ex-spy Sergei Skripal, survived an brazen effort to kill him, but an bystander, Dawn Sturgess, lost her life. An public investigation was conducted last year, probing the attack on the Skripals, the actions of first responders, and the tragic circumstances that ensnared Sturgess. 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. Sturgess died on 8 July, while Rowley survived but has suffered ill health since. At first, police believed it was a drugs overdose. Soon after, it became clear they had been poisoned with the chemical weapon Novichok. Sturgess sprayed herself 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 presented it to Sturgess. The inquiry heard that Sturgess was caught “in the crossfire” of an “illegal and outrageous international assassination attempt”.
What Was a Container 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, seven miles south of Amesbury. Skripal had been settled in a suburban cul-de-sac after a prisoner swap. Both fell seriously ill but ultimately survived.
Why Were the Skripals Targeted?
The British authorities believe that Vladimir Putin approved the attack 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 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 Carried Out?
British investigators believe two Russian agents, using the names Petrov and Boshirov, applied novichok to the exterior door handle of the Skripals’ house between noon and 12.15pm on 4 March. When the former spy and his daughter left shortly afterwards to go out, they both touched the handle.
What Happened With the Novichok Bottle Afterwards?
This remains a central mystery of the case. A theory is they may have used a portable heat sealer 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 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 moved home with it. Yet, police have not been able to rule out 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 had the potential for mass casualties. A government scientist stated that a tiny quantity – comparable to a speck of salt – might have caused death. After the poisonings, 87 people self-presented at A&E worried about exposure. Several officers were affected, 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 assert that he was a blatant target for the Russian state 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 Following the Incident?
Similarly, Sturgess’s family holds this view. No official alerts about handling suspicious items that may have contained nerve agent were issued after the initial attack. The former top medical advisor, Dame Sally Davies, claimed she had a clear memory of warning people not to touch items near the scene in March 2018. 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 expressed regret for wrongly categorising Sturgess as a user of illegal drugs. Rowley was known to use drugs, but Sturgess did not.
Did Skripal Have Luck to Survive?
Without a doubt. A paramedic told the inquiry that he accidentally gave Skripal a specific antidote, a drug used for organophosphate poisoning, after a fortunate accident. This intervention potentially rescued Skripal’s life.
What Have the Russians Said?
The Moscow's diplomatic mission 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 doubts the lack of CCTV around the Skripal house. British investigators have stated there have been hundreds, if not thousands of red herrings in the case.