Sergei Skripal, ex-Russian spy poisoned with Novichok in 2018, is back in headlines as UK blames Putin’s regime for his attempted murder.
On December 4, 2025, a UK public inquiry concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized the 2018 Novichok nerve agent attack targeting former spy Sergei Skripal, which indirectly caused the death of Dawn Sturgess. The inquiry found the GRU operatives acted on Putin's instructions, leading to sanctions against the GRU and diplomatic actions against Russia amid ongoing tensions over Ukraine.