- The UK is sanctioning
Russian actors involved in the
research, development and production
of the
deadly Novichok nerve agents and the lethal
toxin Epibatidine used in the
poisoning of Alexei Navalny and Dawn Sturgess.
- After exposing Navalny's death in 2024, the UK is
shining a light on Russia's heinous violation
of the Chemical Weapons Convention, urging Russia
to stop this deadly activity.
- Ahead of the NATO Summit in Ankara, the UK continues to
expose and deter Russia's barbaric use
of chemical weapons both on and off the
battlefield.
Seven individuals and two leading scientific research institutes
involved in Russia's barbaric,
undeclared and illegal chemical
weapons programme have today [6 July] been
sanctioned by the UK. The UK's action
targets those involved in developing the
deadly
toxin Epibatidine and Novichok nerve agents used
to poison Russian
opposition activist Alexei Navalny and British
national Dawn Sturgess.
These new measures directly hit
two leading scientific research centres
and key individuals involved
in the development and production
of toxic chemicals for
purposes prohibited under
the Chemical Weapons Convention.
At the NATO Summit in Ankara this week, the UK will join
NATO allies in strengthening collective security to tackle
the long-term threat posed by an increasingly reckless and
dangerous Russia, its egregious and irresponsible actions,
including the barbaric full-scale invasion of Ukraine, continue
to undermine democracy.
This is the latest step in the UK's efforts
to expose and deter
Russia's illegal chemical weapons
activity
and comes after partners united at the
Munich Security Conference in February to confirm the
abhorrent circumstances around the death
of Alexei Navalny in Russian custody. Only
the Russian state had the
means, motive and opportunity to deploy this
lethal toxin to target Navalny, and the UK holds it responsible
for his death.
Foreign Secretary,
said:
Russia's repeated use of chemical weapons is a sickening
violation of international law and a direct threat to global
security.
From the use of Novichok nerve agents
in Salisbury to Epibatidine in Siberia,
poisoning Dawn Sturgess and Alexei Navalny, Russia
continues to use barbaric tools to inflict
death and suffering on innocent civilians, including in
Ukraine.
We will continue to call out Russia's violations
of the Chemical Weapons Convention, hold those responsible to
account, and work with allies to deter further use of
these dangerous weapons.
Those sanctioned
include directors and technical specialists at leading
scientific research institutes involved in Russia's
development and synthesis of toxic chemicals.
These institutes include SC Signal, a
Russian state scientific research institute, GNIII
VM, the State Scientific Research and Testing Institute
for Military
Medicine and GosNIIOKhT the State
Scientific Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and
Technology, which the UK sanctioned in
October 2020.
Individuals sanctioned today include Vladimir
Kondratyev who co-authored a paper on the testing
of Epibatidine focusing on its toxic
qualities as well
as Andrei Antokhin and Viktor
Taranchenko who
conducted research on Novichok nerve agents.
The announcement comes ahead of this week's NATO Ankara
Summit (7-8 July), where the UK will continue
to work with allies to provide military aid to
Ukraine and strengthen the country's defences. The UK
will also reaffirm that NATO stands ready to
defend its citizens against the long-term threat posed by Russia.
The UK has now sanctioned over 3,400 individuals and
organisations in response to Russia's aggression
in Ukraine and will continue to expose
and combat its hostile activity at every
opportunity.
Notes to editors:
- This announcement comes just before
the 112th Executive Council session
at the Organisation for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) at the Hague from 7th July
10 July.
- The individuals sanctioned today are:
- ARTUR ZHIROV Director of SC Signal
- ANDREI ANTOKHIN Deputy Head of SC Signal
- SERGEI CHEPUR Head of GNIII VM
- VLADIMIR KONDRATYEV Director at GosNIIOKhT
- ALEKSANDR MAKHLAY Chief Scientist SC Signal
- IVAN KRAVSTOV Head of 4th Scientific Research
Department at SC Signal
- VIKTOR TARANCHENKO Head of the 1st Scientific Research
Centre at SC Signal.
- The two entities sanctioned today are:
- SC Signal' (aka NTs Signal) a Russian state scientific
research institute
- GNIII VM' - The State Research Institute of
Military Medicine (GNIII VM)
