The United Kingdom announced sanctions against the GRU (Russia‘s military intelligence) following the publication of the final report regarding the 2018 Salisbury poisoning investigation. The report explicitly states that Vladimir Putin personally gave the order to use the Novichok nerve agent against former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
The Crime: Novichok and the Death of Dawn Sturgess
The final 174-page investigation report not only confirmed the GRU‘s involvement in the assassination attempt but also established a “clear causal link” between the actions of Russian military intelligence and the criminal events in Salisbury and the subsequent death of British citizen Dawn Sturgess.
Russian agents, known by the aliases Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, brought a perfume bottle containing the Novichok agent into the UK. The poison was applied to the front door handle of Sergei Skripal’s house. As a result, Skripal, his daughter Yulia, and police officer Nick Bailey, who examined the house, were all left in critical condition but ultimately survived.
Dawn Sturgess, a 44-year-old mother of three, became an accidental victim of the GRU operation. On June 30, 2018, she sprayed herself with Novichok from the bottle, which her partner mistook for perfume. The man had found the vial after the GRU agents carelessly discarded it. She died a week later.
Reaction and New Sanctions
In response to the investigation’s findings, the UK imposed sanctions on 11 individuals “standing behind hostile acts sponsored by the Russian state.” Russian military intelligence (GRU) is now fully subject to UK sanctions. Furthermore, the Russian ambassador was summoned to the UK Foreign Office for an explanation.
Commenting on the new sanctions and the events of 2018, UK officials issued emotional and tough statements. Prime Minister Kir Starmer said: “The Salisbury poisonings shocked the entire nation, and today’s findings are a stark reminder of the Kremlin’s contempt for innocent life. Dawn’s unjustified death was a tragedy and will forever remain a reminder of Russia’s reckless aggression… The UK will always confront the Putin regime and ‘call its murderous machine what it truly is.’”
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper added: “A British citizen lost their life, and others were placed in grave danger on UK soil as a result of the deliberate and monstrous decisions made by President Putin and the GRU. Putin and his GRU agents pose an active threat to the British people, our security, and our prosperity. We will not tolerate this brazen and disgusting aggression on British soil.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that the GRU‘s crime “demonstrated the Russian state’s complete disregard for human life and international law.”
London emphasized that the new sanctions are part of the “unwavering defence of European security,” serving both as a measure to pressure Russia and to strengthen Ukraine’s position.