Ex-Russian spy says Putin authorised 2018 Novichok poisoning attack in England

Former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal believes Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his Novichok poisoning in 2018, an inquiry into the death of a woman who was unwittingly poisoned by the nerve agent the same year has been told. 

Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found slumped unconscious on a public bench in the southern English city of Salisbury on March 4, 2018, after being exposed to Novichok applied to the front door handle of his home.

The Skripals and a police officer who attended the property fell critically ill but recovered.

On June 30, Dawn Sturgess and her partner Charlie Rowley became ill after exposure to Novichok contained in a perfume bottle found in the latter’s home in Amesbury, about 12 kilometres from Salisbury.

Ms Sturgess died a week later on July 8. 

A public inquiry into her death, which began in the UK on Monday, has heard allegations Russia orchestrated the attack, smuggling the poison into the country packaged as a bottle of “vaporisation spray” through its spies. 

Vial carried enough poison to kill thousands

Ms Sturgess’s fatal Novichok poisoning was caused by her spraying and rubbing the liquid in the bottle onto her wrists. 

Her partner, Mr Rowley, is understood to have found the bottle in a charity bin, taking it for an expensive perfume brand, and later gifting it to Ms Sturgess. 

The inquiry’s lead counsel, Andrew O’Connor, said the contaminated vial appeared to have an enormous potency.

“The evidence will suggest that this bottle — which we shall hear contained enough poison to kill thousands of people — must earlier have been left somewhere in a public place creating the obvious risk that someone would find it and take it home,” he said.

“You may conclude … that those who discarded the bottle in this way acted with a grotesque disregard for human life.”

Novichok is a military-grade nerve agent developed by the Soviet Union in the 1980s for use in chemical warfare. 

Since the USSR’s dissolution, Russia has denied being involved in its production, saying all Soviet chemical weapon programs were halted in 1992 and all remaining stockpiles of Novichok were destroyed by 2017.

It is considered to be the world’s deadliest chemical agent, reportedly 10 times more lethal than VX, the powerful chemical used to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s half-brother.

Mr Putin’s government was accused of attempting to poison former Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny with Novichok in 2020 by placing the poison in his underwear.

‘Putin makes all important decisions himself’

Skripal has not spoken publicly since the attack, but in a statement to the inquiry said he blamed Mr Putin, though he acknowledged he had no concrete evidence.

“I believe Putin makes all important decisions himself. I therefore think he must have at least given permission for the attack on Yulia and me,” he said in the statement, read out by Mr O’Connor during the inquiry.

Skripal said he knew Mr Putin personally and was aware of allegations the Russian president had been involved in illegal activity to do with the disposal of rare metals.

“I have read that Putin is personal very interested in poison and likes reading books about it,” he said.

Skripal, who sold Russian secrets to Britain, had been living in the UK for about eight years at the time of the incident, having being granted asylum in 2010. His daughter was visiting from Moscow that March.

The Skripals’ poisoning led to the biggest East-West diplomatic expulsions since the Cold War. 

Russia has repeatedly rejected British accusations it was involved.

Lawyer Cathryn McGahey told the inquiry it was also London’s view that Russian agents carried out the attack in an operation authorised by Mr Putin.

Adam Straw, a lawyer representing Ms Sturgess’s family, called for Mr Putin to appear himself.

“He should not cower behind the walls of the Kremlin. He should look Dawn’s family in the eyes and answer the evidence against him,” Mr Straw said.

Civilian caught in the crossfire

British police have charged in absentia three Russians, who they say are GRU military intelligence officers, over the attempted murder of Skripal and his daughter.

Two of the Russians Britain has accused of carrying out the poisoning later appeared on Russian TV to deny involvement, saying they had been innocent tourists visiting the city’s cathedral. All three have denied any involvement.

No-one has been charged over Ms Sturgess’s death.

Earlier, the inquiry was told the 44-year-old mother-of-three was caught in the “crossfire” of an international assassination attempt.

Mr O’Connor said the inquiry would hear some confidential evidence from the UK security services in secret, including details of Skripal’s relationship with British intelligence agencies.

The Skripals will not give evidence in person because of fears for their safety.

The Russian embassy in London last week dismissed British accusations about “the alleged use of the mythical Novichok” as quite preposterous. 

Mr O’Connor said the inquiry would take full account of the Russian response.

ABC/Reuters

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