What Happened to Salisbury Poisonings?

The Salisbury Poisonings began on March 4, 2018, when former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury, England. They had been poisoned with Novichok, a military-grade nerve agent developed by the Soviet Union. Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, who attended the scene, also fell seriously ill after exposure to the substance. All three victims spent weeks in critical condition but eventually recovered and were discharged from the hospital.

The British government swiftly identified the substance as Novichok and, on March 12, 2018, Prime Minister Theresa May announced that it was 'highly likely' the Russian government was responsible for the attack. This led to a significant international diplomatic crisis, with over 20 countries, including the USA, Canada, Germany, and France, expelling more than 100 Russian officials in a collective show of condemnation. Russia vehemently denied any involvement, retaliating with its own diplomatic expulsions.

A tragic turning point occurred on June 30, 2018, when British citizens Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley fell ill in Amesbury, a town near Salisbury. Rowley had found a discarded perfume bottle, later confirmed to contain Novichok, and given it to Sturgess, who sprayed it on her wrist. Dawn Sturgess died on July 8, 2018, becoming the sole fatality of the attacks. Charlie Rowley survived but suffered severe health consequences. British police stated that this incident was not a targeted attack but a result of the nerve agent's disposal after the Skripal poisoning.

In September 2018, British authorities identified two Russian nationals, Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, as suspects, alleging they were active officers in Russian military intelligence (GRU). Investigative journalism by Bellingcat later identified these individuals as Dr. Alexander Mishkin and Colonel Anatoliy Chepiga, respectively, both highly decorated GRU officers. A third GRU officer, Denis Sergeev (alias Sergey Fedotov), was also implicated in supporting the operation. The UK government believes President Vladimir Putin authorized the assassination attempt on Sergei Skripal, possibly due to Skripal harboring secret information or continuing to assist Western security agencies.

The consequences of the Salisbury Poisonings continue to reverberate. The Skripals, after their recovery, were reportedly relocated to a secure location, possibly New Zealand, under new identities for their protection, with their whereabouts remaining undisclosed as of December 2025. The extensive clean-up operation in Salisbury, involving 12 contaminated sites and hundreds of military personnel, concluded in March 2019. A public inquiry into the death of Dawn Sturgess concluded in December 2025, with its report published and a minor correction made in January 2026.

Most recently, on July 6, 2026, the UK government announced new sanctions against seven Russian scientists and two research institutes (SC Signal and GNIII VM) involved in the development of Novichok and Epibatidine, another toxin linked to the death of Alexei Navalny. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized that Russia's repeated use of chemical weapons is a violation of international law and a threat to global security. This ongoing pressure underscores the UK's commitment to holding those responsible accountable. Additionally, a CNN documentary, "The Salisbury Poisonings: A Spy Next Door," premiered on July 12, 2026, revisiting the events and their global consequences.