Russian President Vladimir Putin is “morally responsible” for the death of a British woman who died after spraying herself with the Novichok nerve agent that had been smuggled into the UK by Russian agents sent to assassinate a former spy, an inquiry has concluded.
Inquiry chair Lord Hughes of Ombersley said the assassination attempt on former agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury in March 2018 “must have been authorised at the highest level” by Putin.
The British government sanctioned Russia’s GRU intelligence agency and summoned Moscow’s ambassador on Thursday after the inquiry’s findings were made public.
The government said that GRU was being sanctioned in its entirety over the attack that targeted Skripal, a former Soviet agent who had defected to Britain.
Dawn Sturgess died after coming into contact with the Novichok nerve agent, which was stored in a perfume bottle.
This is a developing story and our journalists are working on further updates.
Additional sources • AP
