Novichok Poisonings, Russia's Alleged Role and UK Response: Central Issues of the Inquiry

The Novichok nerve agent attack in Salisbury in south-west England during the spring of 2018 was an unprecedented incident that reverberated globally. The intended victim, former Russian agent the ex-spy Sergei Skripal, recovered from an brazen effort to kill him, but an bystander, a woman named 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 delved into.

Who Was Dawn Sturgess?

The victim, Dawn Sturgess was a 44-year-old mother of three. On June 30, 2018, she and her boyfriend, Charlie Rowley, became sick at his residence in Amesbury, Wiltshire. Sturgess died on 8 July, while Rowley pulled through but has experienced ongoing health problems. Initially, police believed it was a drugs overdose. Within days, it became apparent they were victims with the nerve agent novichok. Sturgess sprayed herself with the novichok thinking it was a fragrance. Rowley is thought to have found 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 the English Countryside?

On 4 March 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 spy exchange. Both became gravely sick but ultimately survived.

Why Were the Skripals Targeted?

The UK government believe that Vladimir Putin approved the attack on Sergei Skripal. A suggested motive offered is that Skripal harboured secret information about the Russian president’s “criminal embezzlement” involving profits from metals production. There have also been suggestions that Skripal kept assisting western security agencies after his supposed retirement from espionage. In the aftermath, the UK government ordered out 23 Russian diplomats.

How Was the Attack on Skripal Take?

UK police believe a pair of operatives, using the names Petrov and Boshirov, smeared the nerve agent to the exterior door handle of the Skripals’ house in the early afternoon on March 4. When the former spy and his daughter left soon after to go out, they both came into contact with it.

What Did the Agents Do With the Novichok Bottle Afterwards?

This remains a central mystery of the case. One suggestion 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 stated he thought he found the bottle in June, a few days before giving it to Sturgess. However, investigators lean toward the idea he came upon it shortly after the attack. Detectives found CCTV footage that seems to depict Rowley searching bins in Salisbury on the fateful day. If that is correct, Rowley had the bottle for more than 90 days and even relocated while possessing it. Yet, police have not been able to rule out the possibility of a another vessel, 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 expert witness stated that a tiny quantity – comparable to a speck of salt – could have been fatal. After the poisonings, 87 people went to hospital worried about exposure. Three police officers were contaminated, including DS Nick Bailey. Emergency services scrapped 24 vehicles they believed were tainted by the poison.

Should More Have Been 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, even basic CCTV.

Should 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 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 2018. However, there is no record of such a statement. A alert was only given after Sturgess was poisoned.

Regarding the Response of the Emergency Services?

The record is varied. There were many instances of great bravery by paramedics, firefighters and police officers. However, Wiltshire police has expressed regret for wrongly categorising Sturgess as a drug user. Rowley had a history, but Sturgess did not.

Was Skripal Lucky to Survive?

Without a doubt. A paramedic told the inquiry that he accidentally gave Skripal a specific antidote, a drug used for certain poisonings, 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 many “unanswered questions” around the poisoning. It points to 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.