News|Skripal PoisoningRussia’s Putin found ‘morally responsible’ for nerve agent death in UKDawn Sturgess, 44, was unwittingly caught up in an assassination attempt against the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal.

An official inquiry has determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin holds "moral responsibility" for the death of a British citizen following a nerve agent attack in Salisbury, England, in March 2018. The UK government has responded by imposing sanctions on the Russian intelligence agency (GRU), which is accused of executing the attack.

According to Anthony Hughes, a former senior judge and chair of the inquiry, President Putin authorized the mission to assassinate former Russian spy Sergei Skripal. The inquiry highlighted the "astonishingly reckless" conduct of the Russian leader and the GRU agents involved in the incident. The Kremlin continues to deny involvement.

Sergei Skripal, a former GRU officer who had been imprisoned in Russia for espionage for the UK, relocated to the UK after a 2010 spy swap. In March 2018, Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious in Salisbury, having been poisoned with the Russian nerve agent Novichok. Both survived after intensive medical treatment and now reside under protection.

Dawn Sturgess, another victim, died four months later after using what she believed to be perfume from a discarded bottle, which contained Novichok. The inquiry chair described Sturgess as "the entirely innocent victim" of the attack.

Lawyer Andrew O’Connor stated that Sturgess was inadvertently caught in an "illegal and outrageous international assassination attempt." The perfume bottle contained a substantial amount of Novichok, sufficient to poison "thousands" of individuals. Sturgess' family criticized British authorities for failing to adequately assess the risk posed to Skripal, arguing it led to public endangerment and her death.

The inquiry identified security "failings" concerning Skripal but determined it was not "unreasonable" for British intelligence to assess his assassination risk as moderate. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer remarked on the findings as a "grave reminder" of the Kremlin's disregard for civilian safety.

In response to the inquiry's findings, the UK foreign minister announced comprehensive sanctions against the GRU and 11 individuals involved in Russian state-sponsored hostile activities. Additionally, the Russian ambassador was summoned to address Moscow's continued hostile actions.

Another UK inquiry, completed in 2016, concluded that Putin "probably approved" the 2006 assassination of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in London, who died from polonium poisoning.

Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.