Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has declared that the UK must "remain vigilant" against reckless Russian hostile activity on British soil, following the publication of the long-awaited public inquiry into the 2018 Novichok poisonings. The report places "moral responsibility" for the death of Dawn Sturgess directly on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Inquiry Findings: A Reckless Attack on British Soil
The final report of the Dawn Sturgess Inquiry, published on Thursday 4 December 2025, concluded that the attempted assassination of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury was authorised at the highest level by President Putin. The inquiry, which cost £8.3 million, found that GRU agents Alexander Petrov, Ruslan Boshirov, and Sergey Fedotov were acting on instructions when they smeared the military-grade nerve agent on Mr Skripal's door handle.
Lord Hughes, the inquiry chairman, stated that deploying Novichok in a busy city was an "astonishingly reckless act". The risk to others was "entirely foreseeable" and was magnified when a bottle of the agent, disguised as perfume, was left in Salisbury. This led to the tragic death of 44-year-old Dawn Sturgess in Amesbury, Wiltshire, months later.
Government Response and Family Anguish
Speaking at RAF Lossiemouth in Moray, Prime Minister Keir Starmer extended his sympathies to Ms Sturgess's family, whose grief he acknowledged. He stated the report provided further evidence of "shocking and reckless hostile activity on UK soil" and reinforced the need for constant vigilance against the Russian threat.
In immediate action following the report, the UK government sanctioned Russia's GRU military intelligence agency in its entirety. Measures also targeted 11 individuals linked to state-sponsored hostile activity, and Moscow's ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Office. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the UK "will not tolerate this brazen and despicable aggression on British soil."
However, the family of Dawn Sturgess expressed deep concern that the inquiry's report contained no recommendations for change. In a statement, they said it was a "matter of real concern" and argued that "there must be reflection and real change" to prevent such a tragedy happening again. They also criticised the lack of an adequate risk assessment for Sergei Skripal prior to the attack.
Broader Security Threats and Police Apology
Security Minister Dan Jarvis told the Commons that the UK faces an "increasingly reckless methodology" from Russia, including the use of proxies recruited via social media. The new sanctions build on measures from July and target GRU officers involved in cyber operations and plots across Europe.
Wiltshire Police Chief Constable Catherine Roper admitted that mistakes by her force had compounded the family's pain. She offered a full apology for wrongly describing Dawn Sturgess as a known drug user and accepted all recommendations for improvement identified by the inquiry.
Prime Minister Starmer, when asked if such an attack could be prevented in future, emphasised that the government does "everything within our power" to keep citizens safe from all threats, particularly those emanating from Russia.
