Putin ‘morally accountable’ for Brit mum’s dying after Salisbury Novichok poisoning
Russian President Vladimir Putin is “morally responsible” for the death of a Brit mum poisoned by Novichok left on British streets by Russian agents, an inquiry into her death has ruled.
Mum-of-three Dawn Sturgess, 44, died three weeks after spraying herself with a discarded bottle of the deadly nerve agent in July 2018. Sturgess used it after thinking it was perfume.
Chairman Lord Hughes of Ombersley said that evidence the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal was a Russian state attack was overwhelming. He said it constituted “a public demonstration of Russian state power for both international and domestic impact”.
Lord Hughes added: “I have concluded that the operation to assassinate Sergei Skripal must have been authorised at the highest level by President Putin.
(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“I therefore conclude that all those involved in the assassination attempt, not only Petrov, Boshirov and Fedotov, but also those who sent them, and anyone else giving authorisation or knowing assistance in Russia or elsewhere, were morally responsible for Dawn Sturgess’ death.”
Following the Sturgess inquiry report, the Foreign Office confirmed that the Russian military intelligence agency the GRU has been sanctioned in its entirety by the UK.
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