Novichok Nerve Agent Poisons Another Set of Victims

4 months later, the Novichok poisoning saga continues but with new victims.

On 4^th March 2018, former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned in their home in Salisbury, England.

Fortunately, they survived after being in a coma, but it deepens the rift between Britain and Russia’s relationship.

It took a while for the correct agent to be identify but it was implied the Russian state was involved because the Novichok agent was manufactured by the Soviet government.

Many other Western nations followed Britain’s suit and accused the Russian government of being involved without producing any public evidence.

The victim, Sergei Skripal, was a former Russian spy who deserted to Britain and provided them with intelligence.

In return, the British government gave him asylum but they also accused the Russian government of exacting revenge on those who betrayed the state.

However, after a multi-million-pound clean-up of the area, 300 yards away two people were found to be poisoned.

Charlies Rowley, 45 and his partner Dawn Sturgess, 44 were exposed to the nerve agent.

They have no ties to Russia or any intelligence, so the police came up with another connection.

The police believe they were using a contaminated drug found near where the initial poisoning happened because if the nerve agent is not cleaned properly it will stay there indefinitely.

The Russian government denied any involvement and stated evidence must be presented but were denied.

Their alternative theory is the nerve agent may have originated in the secret military facility Porton Down, but the British government dismissed this idea as ludicrous.

Russia Today questions the timing and location of the incident because according to investigators, Novichok “lose their potency very quickly”.

This new incident once again raised tensions across the world while the World Cup being held in Russia has gone without any major incident.

Hence, the question is whether the cleanup crew missed some nerve agent or maybe someone is behind this incident.

While it is difficult to point fingers without any reliable and transparent evidence, this will have further implications for Russia and Britain’s relationship.