The British government has imposed sanctions against Russia's GRU military intelligence agency in its entirety, following the damning conclusions of a public inquiry. The inquiry found that Russian President Vladimir Putin bears direct 'moral responsibility' for the death of Dawn Sturgess, who was killed by the Novichok nerve agent in 2018.
Reckless Attack on British Soil
The independent inquiry, chaired by Lord Hughes of Ombersley, published its final report on Thursday, 4 December 2025. It concluded that the attempted assassination of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury was 'astonishingly reckless' and must have been authorised at the highest level by President Putin.
The attack saw GRU agents smear the military-grade nerve agent on Mr Skripal's door handle in March 2018. While Mr Skripal, his daughter Yulia, and police officer Nick Bailey survived, the operation led to further tragedy. The chemical weapon, left in a discarded perfume bottle, was later found by Dawn Sturgess in Amesbury, Wiltshire. The 44-year-old died after coming into contact with the substance.
Sanctions and Diplomatic Response
In response to the inquiry's findings, the Foreign Office announced a new wave of sanctions. The measures target the entire GRU agency, alongside 11 individuals linked to state-sponsored hostile acts. Eight of those designated are cyber military intelligence officers implicated in operations against the Skripals, while three others are sanctioned for orchestrating plots in Europe, including a planned terror attack on Ukrainian supermarkets.
Russia's ambassador to the UK has been summoned to the Foreign Office. The sanctions build on earlier measures announced in July against Russian spies and hackers accused of trying to destabilise Europe.
Government Condemns 'Murderous Machine'
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated that the findings were a 'grave reminder of the Kremlin’s disregard for innocent lives'. He affirmed the UK's commitment to standing up to Putin's regime and supporting Ukraine. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper labelled Putin and the GRU an 'active threat' to British citizens and security, vowing not to tolerate such aggression on UK soil.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis warned the Commons that the UK is facing an increasingly reckless methodology from Russian state actors, who are now turning to proxies and encrypted apps to conduct their operations.
A Family's Search for Answers
The inquiry, which cost £8.3 million, explicitly named GRU agents Alexander Petrov, Ruslan Boshirov, and Sergey Fedotov as the perpetrators acting on instructions. Lord Hughes stated that all those involved, 'up to and including President Putin', were morally responsible for Dawn Sturgess's death.
In a statement, Ms Sturgess's family said the report confirmed she was a 'wholly innocent victim'. They also pointed to the inquiry's conclusion that there were failures in the UK government's risk assessment regarding the threat to Sergei Skripal, which they believe put the British public at risk.
