UK Accuses Kremlin of Dawn Sturgess's Death

London, December 5, 2025 – Total News Agency-TNA-The UK government has escalated its accusation against the Kremlin to the highest level following the publication of the final report of the public investigation into the death of Dawn Sturgess, the 44-year-old woman who died in 2018 from exposure to the nerve agent Novichok. Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that “today's findings are a grave reminder of the Kremlin's contempt for innocent lives” and announced sanctions against Russian military intelligence (GRU), including new financial blocks and operational restrictions. The report, led by former Supreme Court judge Lord Hughes of Ombersley, concluded that Sturgess's death was a direct consequence of the mission carried out by Russian agents Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, who used Novichok in an attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury. The case dates back to March 2018, when the Skripals were found unconscious in a public place after being exposed to a military compound developed by the Soviet Union. Both survived after weeks of intensive treatment. However, months later, a perfume bottle contaminated with the same substance was abandoned in the area, an action the investigation described as “astonishingly reckless.” It was this container, discarded by the attackers, that ended up in Sturgess's hands, who died shortly after applying its contents to her skin. The report stated that the operation “must have been authorized at the highest level by President Putin,” that the agents acted on precise orders, and that the disposal of the contaminated bottle multiplied the risk of collateral damage. Meanwhile, the family of Dawn Sturgess and UK authorities believe that the formal clarification of responsibilities is a necessary step in the pursuit of justice, even though the possibility of criminal prosecution of those involved remains remote. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that Russia poses an “active threat” to the security of the UK and Europe, in an international context marked by the war in Ukraine and growing tension between Moscow and Western powers. The case once again strains the diplomatic relationship between London and Moscow, already affected by the war, economic sanctions, and espionage incidents reported in recent years. The document concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin had “moral responsibility” for the incident by authorizing the GRU operation that preceded the poisoning. The investigation also concluded that the attack on Skripal was not only an act of reprisal but also intended to be a public demonstration of Russian power, both to the international community and to domestic public opinion. The publication of the report also reignites the debate on the use of chemical agents in European territory and the Kremlin's ability to conduct high-impact intelligence operations beyond its borders. Sources used: UK public reports on the Novichok case; official statements from Prime Minister Keir Starmer; international reports on sanctions against the GRU.