PM statement on the Salisbury investigation: 5 September 2018

United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May made a statement to the UK Parliament on the 5 September 2018 about the Salisbury incident, on 4 March 2018 two Russian citizens, Sergei and Yulia Skripal, were found seriously ill in a park in Salisbury, United Kingdom. Later in the year a further development had taken place with the subsequent poisoning of Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley.

UK investigators had alleged that the Novichok nerve agent had been used against the Skripals and suggested a connection with senior political and security interests in Russia.

Over the following days the incident escalated to become a major diplomatic crisis in relations between Russia and the United Kingdom.

On the 5 September 2018 Mrs May said that sufficient evidence had been collected by the police and other investigators for the independent Director of Public Prosecutions to bring charges against two Russian nationals for:

+ the conspiracy to murder Sergei Skripal
+ the attempted murder of Sergei and Yulia Skripal and Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey;
+ the use and possession of Novichok
+ causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Yulia Skripal and Nick Bailey.

The names of the Russians were given as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, although these were thought to be aliases.

The Washington Post, 15.09.18: [Monkey Cage]: How badly did Russia’s interview with the Skripal poisoning suspects backfire? https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/09/15/how-badly-did-russias-interview-with-the-skripal-poisoning-suspects-backfire/

UN: Press Release, 06.09.18: Russian Federation Nationals to Be Charged in Salisbury Chemical Attack, Delegate for United Kingdom Tells Security Council https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/sc13488.doc.htm

NATO: News, 05.09.18: UK National Security Adviser briefs NATO Council on developments following Salisbury attack https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_157874.htm

RUSI: Commentary, 07.09.18: Russia’s Vostok-2018 Exercise is About a Lot More Than War With NATO https://rusi.org/commentary/russia%E2%80%99s-vostok-2018-exercise-about-lot-more-war-nato

BBC News: Tag: Russian spy poisoning 2018 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c0j915myy8kt/russian-spy-poisoning

Deutche Welle: Keywords: Sergei Skripal http://www.dw.com/search/en?languageCode=en&origin=gN&item=Sergei+Skripal&searchNavigationId=9097

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW): Incident in Salisbury UK https://www.opcw.org/special-sections/salisbury-incident/

The Conversation: Tag: Skripal attack https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/skripal-attack-51185

The Guardian: Tag: Sergei Skripal https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/sergei-skripal

The Guardian, 06.09.18: [Opinion]: The new Skripal revelations have made the Kremlin look flat-footed https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/06/skripal-novichok-poison-kremlin-russia-evidence

Sputnik International, 06.09.18: Kremlin Regrets London's Noncooperation With Russia on Skripal Case https://sputniknews.com/europe/201809061067800687-kremlin-skripal-case-cooperation/

ECFR: Commentary, 22.10.18: Ministry of foreign assassinations: Killings, disappearances, and the challenge to the liberal order https://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_killings_disappearances_and_challenge_to_liberal_order

The Conversation, 14.09.18: What body language can – and can’t – tell us about Russians accused of Sergei Skripal poisoning https://theconversation.com/what-body-language-can-and-cant-tell-us-about-russians-accused-of-sergei-skripal-poisoning-103262

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