06 July 2026 , 16:25
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Russian scientists involved in the development of the Novichok nerve agent have been sanctioned by the Government.
As reported by The Telegraph, the Foreign Office said it had sanctioned those involved in creating the chemical weapon used in the Salisbury attack that killed Dawn Sturgess, and the Epibatidine toxin used to poison Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Sturgess died after coming into contact with the poison, which was used in an attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal, a former Soviet spy and defector, and his daughter Yulia in 2018.
The Foreign Office said the sanctions, which ranged from asset freezes to travel bans, had been imposed on seven individuals and two scientific institutes.
Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, 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.”
Deputy Editor