Never-before-seen CCTV footage of the Salisbury Novichok attacks captured the moment a former Russian spy handed bread to a child after he was poisoned with the deadly nerve agent.
The grainy footage shows former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia strolling happily around the city, completely unaware that they had just been attacked with one of the deadliest chemical weapons known to man.
Skripal is believed to have come into contact with Novichok after it was smeared on the doorknob of his home in a quiet cul-de-sac in the Wiltshire town on March 4, 2018, allegedly on the orders of Vladimir Putin.
New CCTV shows the couple visiting a Zizzi pub and restaurant before they were seen slumped on a park bench after succumbing to the poison, which tragically killed mother-of-three Dawn Sturgess.
An investigation into the 44-year-old’s death revealed yesterday that she was inadvertently caught “in the crossfire of an illegal and scandalous international assassination attempt” that could have killed thousands more.
CCTV shows former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia strolling happily through Salisbury on March 4, 2018, completely unaware that they had been poisoned with Novichok. This image was taken at 3:35 p.m. on March 4.
1:15 p.m., March 4: The former Russian spy holds his head as he begins to feel the effects of the poison.
13:42 – 13:45: Mr. Skripal is seen handing bread to a child to feed the ducks.
Sturgess was seen on CCTV in Salisbury the day before her death and on another occasion in June.
Chillingly, CCTV evidence suggested the pair may have crossed paths with the Skripals near their home as they drove into the city center in search of food.
After wiping the novichok off Skripal’s doorknob, the suspects are believed to have dumped the deadly substance in Salisbury in a fake Nina Ricci perfume bottle.
More than three months later, it was discovered by Sturgess’s boyfriend, Charlie Rowley, who gave it to her as a gift.
But she fell seriously ill after spraying her body with the substance and died in hospital, while Mr Rowley was seriously injured.
A public inquest into Sturgess’s death found she was the only one among thousands of people who may have died in the failed assassination attempt.
His family wants the hearing to investigate whether UK authorities did enough to protect the public by preventing the threat of an attack on Skripal, 73, and his daughter Yulia, 39.
1:45 p.m.: The Skripals enter the Bishop’s Mill pub in Salisbury
2:15 p.m.: The father and daughter leave the Bishop’s Mill.
15.37 – 16.15: The couple in a bank where they began to get sick from the highly toxic substance
Andrew O’Connor, lead counsel for the inquiry at Salisbury Guildhall, said: “The evidence will suggest that this bottle, which we heard contained enough poison to kill thousands of people, must have been abandoned in some public place, creating an obvious risk.” that someone would find it.
‘Is it possible that mistakes were made in protecting Sergei Skripal that could have indirectly contributed to the death of Dawn Sturgess?’
Adam Straw KC, representing the Sturgess family, said leaving what appeared to be a perfume bottle containing enough Novichok to kill thousands of people “was a game of Russian roulette that put the public at serious risk.”
He added: ‘Dawn’s death is a tragedy for her family, her partner and her friends.
‘Living a quiet life in Salisbury, they were stunned to be collateral damage to global spy wars. It felt like James Bond meets the Archers. But the consequences could have been even more disastrous. He was capable of causing a massacre.’
In September 2018, Scotland Yard charged the two GRU (Russian military intelligence) spies, traveling under the names Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, with the attempted assassination of the Skripals.
MARCH 2: CCTV footage of Dawn Sturgess the day before her tragic death.
MARCH 4, 3:27 p.m.: Suspected Russian assassins Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov leave Salisbury train station.
The doorknob of Skripal’s house, on which Novichok is believed to have been smeared.
The Skripals survived and now live in a secret location, so they will not be called to give evidence to protect them.
In a witness statement, Skripal said he was convinced the assassination attempt was ordered by the Russian president.
The former GRU agent was jailed in Russia in 2004 for espionage before being released in 2010 and moving to the UK in a prisoner swap. The investigation found there was evidence he was assisting UK intelligence shortly before he was attacked, raising concerns about whether enough was done to protect him.
Skripal said: “I never thought the Russian regime would try to assassinate me in Britain.
‘They could have easily killed me when I was in prison.
‘I think Putin makes all important decisions himself. Therefore, I think he must have at least given permission for the attack.’
A third Russian, Sergey Fedotov, also an alleged GRU spy, was charged three years later in connection with the poisoning.
An international arrest warrant has been issued for the trio, but Russia does not allow the extradition of its citizens, so it is unlikely they will ever face trial in the UK.
In an unorthodox move, Straw asked the inquiry’s chair, Lord Hughes of Ombersley, to call Putin as a witness, but admitted it would be impossible to force him to attend. Lord Hughes’ final report is expected next year.
