The Novichok nerve agent attack in the city of Salisbury in the English countryside during March 2018 was an unprecedented incident that reverberated globally. The intended victim, former Russian agent the ex-spy Sergei Skripal, survived an brazen effort to kill him, but an bystander, a woman named Dawn Sturgess, lost her life. An public investigation was held last year, examining the attack on the Skripals, the response of emergency services, and the tragic circumstances that ensnared Sturgess. Below are some of the key questions it explored.
The Identity of Dawn Sturgess?
Dawn Sturgess was a 44-year-old mother of three. On 30 June 2018, she and her boyfriend, Charlie Rowley, fell ill at his home in a Wiltshire town called Amesbury. Sturgess died on 8 July, while Rowley pulled through but has experienced ongoing health problems. At first, police thought it might be a drugs overdose. Within days, it became clear they had been poisoned with the nerve agent novichok. It is believed Sturgess applied with the novichok believing it was perfume. Rowley is thought to have found a vessel containing the agent 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 the English Countryside?
On 4 March 2018, former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, were poisoned by novichok at his home in Salisbury, not far from Amesbury. Skripal had been living quietly in a suburb after a spy exchange. Both fell seriously ill but ultimately survived.
What Was the Motive for Targeting the Skripals?
The UK government are convinced that Russian President Vladimir Putin authorised the assassination attempt on Sergei Skripal. A suggested motive offered is that Skripal possessed sensitive knowledge about the Russian president’s “criminal embezzlement” involving revenue from the metals industry. There have also been suggestions that Skripal kept assisting 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 Take?
UK police believe a pair of operatives, using the aliases Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, smeared the nerve agent to the front-door handle of the Skripals’ house between noon and 12.15pm on March 4. When the former spy and his daughter left shortly afterwards 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 stated he thought he found the bottle in June, a few days before giving it to Sturgess. However, police think it more likely he came upon 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 this is accurate, Rowley had the bottle for over three months and even relocated while possessing it. Yet, police have not been able to rule out the possibility of a another vessel, which remains missing.
How Dangerous Was 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 – as small as a sixth of a grain of salt – could have been fatal. After the poisonings, 87 people self-presented at A&E worried about contamination. Several officers were affected, including Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey. Emergency services disposed of two dozen vehicles they believed were tainted by the poison.
Should More Have Been Done to Protect Sergei Skripal?
Sturgess’s family believes so. They contend that he was a blatant target for Putin 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 believes so. No public warnings about handling suspicious items that may have contained the poison were issued after the initial attack. The former top medical advisor, Dame Sally Davies, claimed she had a “strong recollection” of advising the public not to touch items near the scene in March. However, there is no documentation of such a statement. A alert was only given after Sturgess was poisoned.
Regarding the Performance of First Responders?
The assessment is mixed. There were many instances of great bravery by paramedics, firefighters and police officers. However, Wiltshire police has expressed regret for mistakenly labeling Sturgess as a user of illegal drugs. Rowley was known to use drugs, but Sturgess did not.
Was Skripal Lucky to Survive?
Without a doubt. A paramedic told the inquiry that he inadvertently administered 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 Russian embassy in the UK has claimed there are numerous unresolved issues 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 a period of time. It also doubts the lack of CCTV around the Skripal house. British investigators have stated there have been a multitude of false leads in the case.
