London has announced a new package of sanctions against Russia, placing seven individuals and two Russian research institutes on its blacklist, which British authorities say are linked to the development and production of chemical weapons used in the poisoning of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny and British citizen Dawn Sturgess.
The British Foreign Office said the individuals and institutions targeted by the measures took part in the scientific research, development and production of deadly nerve agents, including Novichok and epibatidine. According to London’s claims, these substances were used in the poisoning of Navalny and Sturgess.
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The sanctions package includes the research institute SC Signal and the medical research institute GNIII VM. British authorities say the seven sanctioned individuals hold senior positions at these two institutions and are suspected of having played an essential role in research programs related to chemical agents.
In February, the United Kingdom, together with Sweden, France, Germany and the Netherlands, accused Moscow of having used a rare toxin, epibatidine, against Alexei Navalny. The well-known Kremlin opponent died in prison in 2024, in circumstances that continue to trigger debate and international reaction.
Dawn Sturgess, a 44-year-old from Britain, died in July 2018 after being exposed to the Novichok substance. She is considered a collateral victim of the attack carried out against former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, England. The Skripals survived the poisoning, but Sturgess died after coming into contact with the neurotoxin that had been found in a discarded bottle.
The Salisbury incident triggered a sharp diplomatic clash between London and Moscow, followed by reciprocal expulsions of diplomats and a deterioration in relations between the two countries.
“Russia’s repeated use of chemical weapons constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and an immediate threat to global security,” British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said.
The announcement by the British authorities comes ahead of the NATO Summit in Ankara, where the war in Ukraine and Euro-Atlantic security are expected to be among the main topics of discussion.
According to the British Foreign Office, since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on more than 3,400 individuals, companies and organizations linked to Russia.
