Support The Moscow Times!

UK Police Say Nerve Agent Used in Attempted Murder of Former Russian Spy

British police are treating an incident in which a Russian ex-spy and his daughter fell critically ill as attempted murder by administration of a nerve agent, the head of counter terrorism policing said on Wednesday.

Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, were found unconscious on Sunday on a bench outside a shopping centre in Salisbury, a city in southern England.

"In summary, this is being treated as a major incident involving attempted murder by administration of a nerve agent," Mark Rowley said in a statement. He declined to give details of the substance used.

"I can also confirm that we believe the two people originally who became unwell were targeted specifically," Rowley said.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more