The poisoning incident involving Novichok in 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, recovered from an brazen effort to kill him, but an innocent British citizen, Dawn Sturgess, lost her life. An official inquiry was conducted last year, examining the poisoning of the Skripals, the response of emergency services, and the tragic circumstances that ensnared Sturgess. Below are some of the key questions it explored.
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, fell ill at his home in Amesbury, Wiltshire. Sturgess died on 8 July, while Rowley pulled through but has experienced ongoing health problems. At first, police believed it was a drugs overdose. Soon after, it became apparent they were victims with the nerve agent novichok. Sturgess sprayed herself with the substance thinking it was a fragrance. Rowley is thought to have found a container of novichok disguised as a perfume bottle 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 prisoner swap. Both became gravely sick but ultimately survived.
What Was the Motive for Targeting the Skripals?
The British authorities are convinced that Russian President 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 revenue from the metals industry. There have also been indications that Skripal kept assisting western security agencies 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 names Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, applied novichok to the front-door handle of the Skripals’ house in the early afternoon on 4 March. When the Skripals left soon after to go out, they both touched the handle.
What Happened With the Novichok Bottle Afterwards?
This remains a key unanswered question of the case. One suggestion is they may have used a small sealing device 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 shortly after the attack. Detectives found video evidence that seems to depict Rowley looking through rubbish in Salisbury on the day the Skripals fell ill. If that is correct, Rowley had the bottle for more than 90 days and even moved home with it. Yet, police have not been able to rule out the possibility of a second container, which has never been found.
The Lethality of the Novichok?
The inquiry was told it was of exceptional potency and had the potential for mass casualties. A government scientist stated that a “minuscule” amount – as small as a sixth of a grain 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?
Sturgess’s family believes so. They assert that he was a “clear and obvious” target for the Russian state but was given insufficient security in Salisbury. Skripal is said to have refused security measures, including simple surveillance.
Should More Have Been Done to Protect the Public Following the Incident?
Similarly, Sturgess’s family believes so. No public warnings about picking up containers that may have contained nerve agent were issued after the Skripal poisoning. The former chief medical officer for England, Dame Sally Davies, claimed she had a clear memory of warning people 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.
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 apologised for mistakenly labeling Sturgess as a user of illegal drugs. Rowley had a history, but Sturgess was not.
Did Skripal Have Luck to Survive?
Without a doubt. A first responder told the inquiry that he accidentally gave Skripal atropine, a drug used for certain poisonings, after a fortunate accident. 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 Skripal’s car was seen out on the morning of 4 March and that their phones were deactivated for four hours. It also questions the absence of cameras around the Skripal house. UK police have stated there have been a multitude of red herrings in the case.
