Nerve Agent Poisonings, Russia's Alleged Role and British Reaction: Central Issues of the Investigation
The Novichok nerve agent attack in Salisbury in the English countryside 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 bystander, a woman named Dawn Sturgess, tragically died. An official inquiry was held last year, examining the attack on the Skripals, the response of emergency services, and the fatal sequence of events that ensnared Sturgess. Below are several central issues it explored.
The Identity of Dawn Sturgess?
The victim, Dawn Sturgess was a 44-year-old mother of three. On 30 June 2018, she and her boyfriend, Charlie Rowley, became sick at his residence in a Wiltshire town called Amesbury. Sturgess died on 8 July, while Rowley pulled through but has suffered ill health since. At first, police thought it might be 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 novichok thinking it was a fragrance. Rowley is thought to have found a vessel containing the agent disguised as a perfume bottle and presented it to Sturgess. The inquiry heard that Sturgess was an unintended casualty of an unlawful foreign plot to kill.
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 poisoned by novichok at his home in Salisbury, seven miles south of Amesbury. Skripal had been living quietly in a suburb after a spy exchange. Both became gravely sick but managed to survive.
Why Were the Skripals Targeted?
The British authorities are convinced that Vladimir Putin authorised the assassination attempt on Sergei Skripal. One theory offered is that Skripal harboured secret information about the Russian president’s alleged financial crimes involving revenue from the metals industry. 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 ordered out 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, smeared the nerve agent to the exterior 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 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 repackage the bottle during a unaccounted-for period when they vanished from Salisbury CCTV 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, investigators lean toward the idea he found it soon after the Skripal poisoning. Detectives found CCTV footage appearing to show Rowley searching bins in Salisbury on the fateful day. 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 another vessel, which has never been found.
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 “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 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 “clear and obvious” target for Putin but was provided with little protection in Salisbury. Skripal is said to have refused security measures, including simple surveillance.
Could More Have Been Done to Protect the Public After the Attack?
Again, Sturgess’s family believes so. No official alerts about handling suspicious items that may have contained nerve agent 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 touch items near the scene in March 2018. However, there is no documentation of such a warning. A alert was only given after Sturgess was poisoned.
What About the Performance of First Responders?
The assessment is mixed. There were many instances of great bravery by paramedics, firefighters and police officers. However, local authorities has apologised for mistakenly labeling Sturgess as a drug user. Rowley had a history, but Sturgess did 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.
What Have the Russians Said?
The Russian embassy in the UK has claimed there are numerous unresolved issues around the poisoning. It highlights claims that the Skripals' vehicle was spotted 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. UK police have stated there have been hundreds, if not thousands of red herrings in the case.
