Putin Held Morally Responsible for Death of British Woman in Novichok poisoning Case
London – An independent investigation concluded today that Russian President Vladimir Putin bears moral responsibility for the 2018 death of Dawn Sturges, a 44-year-old British woman who was inadvertently exposed to the Novichok nerve agent used in the attempted poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia. The findings have prompted the UK to summon the Russian ambassador and impose new sanctions targeting Russian military intelligence.
The incident, which occurred months after the Skripals were targeted in Salisbury, England, saw Sturges fall ill after coming into contact with Novichok contained within a perfume bottle she discovered. Her death marks the first confirmed fatality directly linked to the 2018 poisonings, escalating the already fraught relationship between the UK and Russia. This investigation re-centers scrutiny on Russia’s actions on British soil and the devastating consequences of its alleged use of chemical weapons.
The inquiry report affirmed the British government’s long-held belief that Russia’s deployment of a nerve agent on UK territory directly resulted in the death of a British citizen, according to a statement released by the Foreign Office. The government has demanded Russia end its “campaign of hostile activities” directed towards the UK and NATO allies.
In response, London announced sanctions against all members of Russian military intelligence, alongside targeted sanctions against eight individuals identified as working within Russian military cyber intelligence. Additionally, three Russian military intelligence officers implicated in orchestrating hostile activities in Ukraine were also sanctioned, Reuters reported.
