Official believes Putin ordered Novichok poisoning
28 November 2024
Russian President Vladimir Putin would have authorised the assassination attempt on Sergei Skripal in Salisbury in 2017, a senior UK government official has said.
Jonathan Allen, director general of defence and intelligence at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) told the Dawn Sturgess Inquiry it was because of the “enormous” reputational risk the Novichok poisonings would have posed to Russia.
He added that Russia would have been “shocked” by the speed of the international response to the attempted killings, which lead to the death of Ms Sturgess several months later.
Mr Allen also told the inquiry he believed the attack was not intended to remain secret.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgld5x9l9lo.amp
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