Salisbury, England – A public inquiry has unveiled that Dawn Sturgess, a British woman who lost her life after coming into contact with the nerve agent Novichok, was inadvertently embroiled in what has been described as an “illegal and outrageous international assassination attempt.” Sturgess, 44, a mother of three, succumbed to the effects of the nerve agent in July 2018. She was poisoned after mistaking a discarded bottle containing Novichok for perfume.
The fatal incident occurred close on the heels of a botched attempt on the life of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, along with his daughter in March 2018. Both were discovered unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury but survived following extensive medical intervention. Skripal, who was accused by Russia of spying for Britain and jailed in 2006, came to the UK in 2010 after a spy swap agreement.
The public inquiry into Sturgess’s death revealed that the perfume bottle, which she presumed discarded, still contained enough Novichok to potentially harm thousands. Andrew O’Connor, a lawyer associated with the inquiry, highlighted the extraordinary nature of her death and underscored the chilling reality that she was likely an innocent casualty of espionage.
Further details emerged linking the perfume bottle directly to the attack on the Skripals. The UK authorities attribute the attempted assassination to two Russian intelligence officers using forged passports to enter the country. Despite their denials and a peculiar assertion of being tourists, along with a third accomplice identified as the operation’s commander, Russia has ardently denied any involvement, dismissing the ongoing inquiry as prejudiced.
Tensions between the UK and Russia have intensified in the wake of the Salisbury poisonings, with echoes of previous incidents such as the 2006 poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko further straining diplomatic relations. In her message, former British Prime Minister Theresa May expressed hope that the inquiry would provide clarity and some form of resolution to Sturgess’s family, though she acknowledged the improbability of achieving full justice.
The international repercussions of the Salisbury attack were significant, leading to the largest-ever diplomatic expulsion between Western countries and Russia and subsequent sanctions. These measures have only deepened following Russia’s military actions in Ukraine in 2022.
The inquiry, which will also feature closed-door sessions to discuss sensitive intelligence, is crucial for the people of Wiltshire according to Catherine Roper, Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police. She emphasized the inquiry’s role in delivering comprehensive insights about the events leading to Sturgess’s death to her devastated family and the wider community.
As the inquiry progresses, Sturgess’s family remains concerned about whether adequate measures were taken to safeguard the Skripals and prevent collateral risks to the public. Their quest for answers continues in a case that has not only torn a family apart but also incited an international furore over espionage, assassination, and the murky depths of geopolitical conflict.