UK Woman’s Tragic Death Revealed as Part of Russian Assassination Plot Against Ex-Spy

In a tragic twist in an ongoing international saga, a British woman, Dawn Sturgess, lost her life due to exposure to the lethal nerve agent Novichok in 2018. Sturgess’s death, initially a mystery, has recently been clarified as an unintentional consequence of an attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, by agents allegedly acting on behalf of Russia. This plot has drawn widespread condemnation and led to strained relations between the U.K. and Russia.

The Background of Novichok Poisoning

Sturgess, a mother of three, unknowingly encountered Novichok—a deadly nerve agent developed during the Soviet era—when she sprayed herself with what she believed to be perfume from a discarded bottle. The inquiry now underway reveals the perfume bottle as having originally been discarded by agents targeting Sergei Skripal. Sergei, who was living under protection in the U.K., was previously a Russian intelligence officer accused of spying for the British agency MI6. In March 2018, he and his daughter Yulia were found unresponsive on a Salisbury park bench, poisoned with Novichok. The incident prompted a massive response, as both required extensive medical treatment to survive.

An Attempted Assassination Linked to Dawn Sturgess’ Death

Authorities believe that the same Novichok, in a perfume bottle left behind by the agents, was inadvertently used by Sturgess, leading to her untimely death. Inquiry lawyer Andrew O’Connor has emphasized that Sturgess’s death was an extraordinary tragedy—a result of an “illegal and outrageous international assassination attempt.” He underscored the dangerous nature of the bottle, which contained enough poison to kill thousands, and noted that this tragic event highlights how civilians like Sturgess became unintended victims.

Who Was Behind the Poisoning?

The U.K. government has attributed the attack on the Skripals to two Russian agents believed to belong to Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU. Both agents entered the U.K. on fake passports. According to British officials, these agents were sent on orders from high-level Russian authorities, with one additional suspect named as the mastermind behind the operation. Russia, however, has denied any involvement in the attack. The two primary suspects, in an unusual twist, appeared on Russian television, claiming they were tourists visiting Salisbury to see the city’s “famous cathedral.” Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the allegations, describing the British inquiry as a “circus.”

The Impact on UK-Russia Relations

The Skripal poisoning incident led to the largest-ever diplomatic expulsion between Western nations and Russia, with dozens of Russian diplomats expelled from countries worldwide. In response, Russia dismissed foreign diplomats as well, escalating tensions. Relations deteriorated further following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with a slew of economic and political sanctions imposed by Western nations in reaction.

The poisoning incident has drawn comparisons to the 2006 case of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian agent poisoned with radioactive polonium in London. Like Skripal, Litvinenko was a critic of the Russian government and became a victim of an assassination attempt. His death also led to an inquiry and heightened international scrutiny of Russian espionage tactics on foreign soil.

Ongoing Inquiry and Sturgess Family’s Quest for Justice

In 2023, a public inquiry into Sturgess’s death was opened to investigate the chain of events leading to her poisoning and whether more could have been done to protect the public. Former Prime Minister Theresa May, who was in office at the time of the Salisbury attack, expressed her hope that the inquiry will deliver answers to Sturgess’s family, though she acknowledged that true closure would only come with justice—something she called unlikely given the circumstances.

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Wiltshire Police Chief Constable Catherine Roper emphasized the inquiry’s goal of bringing transparency for Sturgess’s family and providing closure to the Wiltshire community affected by this tragedy. The closed sessions of the inquiry will review classified intelligence related to the case, though the Skripals are unlikely to provide testimony due to safety concerns.

Sturgess’s family has voiced concerns that the U.K. government might not have taken sufficient measures to protect the public, calling for greater accountability to prevent similar events in the future.