The actions are aimed at scientists involved in creating the Novichok nerve agent used in the Salisbury attack and the Epibatidine toxin used to poison Russian opposition leader Alexei Navaln
The British government has sanctioned seven Russians linked with creating the chemical weapons used to poison opposition leader Alexei Navalny and an ex-spy on British soil.
The actions are aimed at the scientists and organisations involved in creating the Novichok nerve agent used in the Salisbury attack – which claimed the life of Dawn Sturgess – and the Epibatidine toxin used to poison Mr Navalny.
Two scientific institutes involved in Russia’s chemical weapons programme have also been affected. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Russia’s repeated use of chemical weapons is a sickening violation of international law and a direct threat to global security.
“From the use of Novichok nerve agents in Salisbury to Epibatidine in Siberia, poisoning Dawn Sturgess and Alexei Navalny, Russia continues to use barbaric tools to inflict death and suffering on innocent civilians, including in Ukraine.
“We will continue to call out Russia’s violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention, hold those responsible to account, and work with allies to deter further use of these dangerous weapons.”
Retired double agent Sergei Skripal, 67, and his daughter Yulia, 33, were hospitalised after the deadly nerve agent Novichok was smeared on the door handle of their home in 2018.
They survived, as did detective sergeant Nick Bailey, who was the first person to enter the home in Salisbury, Wiltshire, after they were found poisoned. But tragically, local Dawn Sturgess died when she unwittingly sprayed the lethal substance on her wrist.
It is believed Mr Skripal – a former spy – and his daughter were targeted by men working on behalf of the Russian state. They were discovered unconscious and in critical condition on a park bench after the attack on March 4, 2018.
Traces of the military-grade nerve agent were also found at a Zizzi restaurant which the pair had dined at that day. Both Skripal and his daughter survived the attack after several weeks of recovery in hospital.
A global warrant is out for the arrests of three Russian agents – Alexander Petrov, Ruslan Boshirov and Sergey Fedotov – but Russia will not extradite them.
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny – an anti-corruption campaigner and Russia’s most vociferous opposition leader – died suddenly in jail on 16 February 2024 at the age of 47.
He was killed using a poison developed from a dart frog toxin, the UK and European allies concluded. Britain and its allies have blamed the Kremlin following analysis of material samples found on his body.
The UK has now sanctioned over 3,400 individuals and organisations in response to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
The individuals sanctioned today are:
Artur Zhirov – Director of Sc Signal
Andrei Antokhin – Deputy Head of Sc Signal
Sergei Chepur – Head of Gniii Vm
Vladimir Kondratyev – Director at Gosniiokht
Aleksandr Makhlay – Chief Scientist – Sc Signal
Ivan Kravstov – Head of 4th Scientific Research Department at Sc Signal
Viktor Taranchenko – Head of the 1st Scientific Research Centre at Sc Signal.
The two entities sanctioned today are:
‘Sc Signal’ (Aka Nts Signal) a Russian State Scientific Research Institute
Gniii Vm’ – the State Research Institute of Military Medicine (Gniii Vm)