Boy falls ill after feeding ducks with Novichok victim Skripal, inquiry reveals

Boy falls ill after feeding ducks with Novichok victim Skripal, inquiry reveals

In a shocking revelation, the Dawn Sturgess inquiry has uncovered a disturbing incident involving a young boy who fell ill after feeding ducks with Novichok victim Sergei Skripal. This unsettling event sheds new light on the far-reaching consequences of the 2018 Salisbury poisoning case.

Unfolding of the Salisbury incident

On March 4, 2018, Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer, and his daughter Yulia were found collapsed on a bench in Salisbury city center. The pair had been poisoned with Novichok, a deadly nerve agent developed by the Soviet Union. In the hours leading up to their collapse, CCTV footage revealed a seemingly innocent interaction between Skripal and a young boy.

Commander Dominic Murphy of the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terror unit presented the footage to the inquiry, detailing the Skripals’ movements that fateful day. The timeline included :

  • Driving into Salisbury
  • Handing bread to a boy to feed ducks
  • Having a drink at The Mill pub
  • Dining at Zizzi restaurant
  • Walking to the bench where they were later found unconscious

The inquiry heard that the Skripals left Zizzi restaurant prematurely, feeling unwell and struggling to have their main course served. This sequence of events paints a chilling picture of the rapid onset of Novichok’s effects.

The boy’s mysterious illness

The most startling revelation came when authorities traced the boy seen in the CCTV footage, along with two companions. They reported feeling ill for one to two days following their encounter with the Skripals. This unexpected development raises concerns about the potential scope of contamination and the nerve agent’s persistence in the environment.

However, subsequent testing of the children yielded no traces of Novichok. This puzzling outcome leaves investigators with more questions than answers. Could the illness have been psychosomatic, triggered by the intense media coverage of the poisoning ? Or were there trace amounts of the agent that dissipated before testing could be conducted ?

The inquiry aims to establish whether Dawn Sturgess, who died in July 2018 after exposure to Novichok, was an unintended victim of what lead counsel Andrew O’Connor KC described as an “illegal and outrageous international assassination attempt.”

Boy falls ill after feeding ducks with Novichok victim Skripal, inquiry reveals

Russian involvement and international implications

The Salisbury poisoning case has had far-reaching diplomatic consequences, straining relations between Russia and the West. British authorities have identified three alleged GRU agents as suspects in the attack :

Suspect Name Alleged Role
Aleksandr Mishkin GRU Agent
Anatoly Chepiga GRU Agent
Denis Sergeev GRU Agent

Sergei Skripal, in his testimony to the inquiry, expressed his belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin “must have at least given permission for the attack” on him and his daughter. This assertion aligns with the account of Ross Cassidy, Skripal’s neighbor and former Royal Navy sailor, who recalled the ex-spy’s fears that Putin would “get him” if he returned to Russia.

The international community has strongly condemned the use of chemical weapons on British soil. The incident has led to :

  1. Expulsion of Russian diplomats from multiple countries
  2. Increased sanctions against Russia
  3. Heightened scrutiny of Russian intelligence activities abroad
  4. Renewed focus on chemical weapons non-proliferation efforts

Lingering questions and ongoing investigation

As the inquiry continues, several key questions remain unanswered. The precise timeline of the Novichok application to the Skripals’ door handle has been narrowed down to a window between 6 pm on Saturday and 1 :30 pm on Sunday when they left their home. This information is crucial for understanding the perpetrators’ movements and potentially identifying additional suspects.

The case of Dawn Sturgess adds another layer of complexity to the investigation. Her tragic death, resulting from exposure to Novichok found in a discarded perfume bottle, underscores the long-lasting danger posed by chemical weapons in civilian areas. The inquiry seeks to determine if her death was an unintended consequence of the attack on the Skripals or if there were other factors at play.

As the investigation progresses, authorities continue to grapple with the challenges of international cooperation and the pursuit of justice in a case with significant geopolitical implications. The Salisbury poisoning serves as a stark reminder of the potential for state-sponsored violence to impact innocent lives and the importance of global vigilance against the use of chemical weapons.

Romuald Hart
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