Public Inquiry into Dawn Sturgess’ Death Opens Amid Renewed Scrutiny
A public inquiry has commenced into the death of Dawn Sturgess, a British woman who tragically lost her life after being accidentally exposed to the deadly Russian nerve agent Novichok. Sturgess, 44, died in July 2018 in Amesbury, Wiltshire, after her partner, Charlie Rowley, unknowingly gave her a perfume bottle containing the lethal chemical.
This incident occurred just months after the attempted murder of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, who were poisoned with the same nerve agent in nearby Salisbury.
The inquiry aims to uncover the circumstances surrounding Sturgess’ death, pinpoint responsibility, and issue recommendations to prevent such tragedies in the future. Sturgess’ death followed the Skripal poisonings, where both Sergei and Yulia, along with a police officer, Nick Bailey, narrowly survived their exposure to the nerve agent. Despite his recovery, Bailey’s experience led to his early retirement from the force.
What is Novichok? The science behind its devastating effects
Novichok, a Russian nerve agent, disrupts vital bodily functions by interfering with the nervous system. By halting the communication of chemical messages between the brain and muscles, it causes the heart to slow and impairs the respiratory system. “It causes secretions in airways and saliva glands that people wind up almost drowning in their secretions,” explains Professor Neil Nathanson from the University of Washington School of Medicine. In larger doses, Novichok causes paralysis of the respiratory muscles, often leading to death by asphyxiation. Survivors face the risk of long-term or permanent neurological damage.
Why does Russia use Novichok?
One of Novichok’s primary advantages is its difficulty to detect, which made it an appealing choice for covert operations. Developed during the Soviet era, the nerve agent was designed specifically to evade NATO’s detection equipment and chemical-protective gear. According to US chemical weapons expert Amy Smithson, Novichok was created using agrochemicals to disguise its production within legitimate industries.
Pharmacology expert Professor Gary Stephens from the University of Reading explains that Novichok’s component parts are not listed as banned precursors under the Chemical Weapons Convention. As a “binary” weapon, Novichok is formed by combining two separate compounds, which makes transportation safer and easier, but once mixed, its effects are devastating. Its extreme potency requires only a small amount to cause harm.
A history of deadly encounters: When Novichok has been used
The use of Novichok dates back to at least 1995 when Russian businessman Ivan K. Kivelidi and his secretary died from organ failure after being exposed to a small amount of the nerve agent on a telephone.
More recently, in August 2020, prominent Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with Novichok. Navalny fell critically ill during a flight to Moscow and was treated in Germany, where independent labs confirmed the presence of the nerve agent. Investigative outlets Bellingcat, The Insider, Der Spiegel, and CNN later implicated Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) in the assassination attempt, though the Kremlin denied involvement. Navalny, who continued to criticize Vladimir Putin, died in a Siberian prison in February 2024 under suspicious circumstances, with his wife suggesting Novichok may have been used again.
Despite the international outcry and mounting evidence, Russia has refused to extradite two suspects, Anatoliy Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin, believed responsible for the Salisbury poisonings. Both men are unlikely to face trial as Russia continues to protect its citizens from foreign legal proceedings.
Novichok, meaning “newcomer” in Russian, is part of a family of nerve agents developed during the Cold War. Although Russia has never officially confirmed its existence, it is believed to have been created between the 1970s and 1990 as part of a secret Soviet program called “Foliant.” This program aimed to circumvent international arms controls by developing undetectable chemical weapons.
The first public revelations of Novichok’s existence came in the 1990s from Dr. Vil Mirzayanov, a Soviet chemist involved in the program who later defected to the US. According to Mirzayanov, Novichok was one of the most potent nerve agents ever created, designed to cause severe overstimulation of the nervous system, leading to convulsions, seizures, and ultimately death.
A weapon banned but still in use
Though the use of Novichok and other nerve agents is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention, its lethal legacy continues to haunt victims of Russian political targeting. From the Skripals to Navalny, the nerve agent remains a symbol of clandestine warfare, its deadly impact unchanged decades after its development. As inquiries into its use continue, the world watches with concern over the ongoing threat posed by such chemical weapons.