The UK government has imposed sanctions on the scientists and institutions responsible for developing the Novichok nerve agent, which was used in the 2018 Salisbury assassination plot.
This deadly poison led to the death of Dawn Sturgess and the attempted assassination of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
The Foreign Office also announced targeted measures against Russians involved in the creation of the Epibatidine toxin. This substance was deployed against Alexei Navalny, a prominent opposition leader and vocal critic of Vladimir Putin.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper 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.”
The sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans, apply to seven individuals and two research institutes.
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