UK sanctions target alleged Russian chemical weapons research into Novichok and Epibatidine

The UK sanctioned seven individuals and two Russian research institutes over claims of work on banned chemical weapons. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said the measures aimed at activity linked to Epibatidine and Novichok. The UK said these substances were used in poisonings in Siberia in 2024 and in Wiltshire in 2018.

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The FCDO said the action was announced before the NATO summit in Turkey starting on Tuesday. It said the sanctions targeted Russians tied to developing and producing toxic chemicals. The UK said such work was for purposes banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

UK sanctions target Russia chemical weapons programme

The sanctioned institutes were SC Signal, described as a Russian state scientific research institute, and GNIII VM. GNIII VM was named as the State Scientific Research and Testing Institute for Military Medicine. The UK said both were linked to activity tied to prohibited chemical weapons research.

The list of sanctioned people included Vladimir Kondratyev, Andrei Antokhin, and Viktor Taranchenko. The UK said Kondratyev co-authored a paper on Epibatidine testing that examined toxic effects. The UK accused Antokhin and Taranchenko of carrying out research on Novichok nerve agents.

"Russias repeated use of chemical weapons is a sickening violation of international law and a direct threat to globalsecurity,\" said UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. \"From the use of Novichok nerve agents in Salisbury to Epibatidine in Siberia, poisoning Dawn Sturgess and Alexei Navalny, Russia continues to use barbaric tools to inflict death and suffering on innocent civilians, including in Ukraine.\"

\"We will continue to call out Russias violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention, hold those responsible to account, and work with allies to deter further use of these dangerous weapons,\" she said.

NATO summit and Russia chemical weapons claims

The FCDO said the sanctions were part of wider UK efforts to expose and deter illegal chemical weapons activity. It linked the step to talks at the Munich Security Conference in February. The UK said partners there united to confirm the abhorrent circumstances around the death of Alexei Navalny in Russian custody.

The FCDO said: \"Only the Russian state had the means, motive and opportunity to deploy this lethal toxin to target Navalny, and the UK holds it responsible for his death,\" It also said Novichok was used in Wiltshire in 2018 to poison British national Dawn Sturgess.

Ukraine support amid Russia chemical weapons concerns

The FCDO said the UK would keep working with allies at the NATO summit in Ankara this week. It said discussions would cover military aid to Ukraine and steps to strengthen Ukraine’s defences. The UK also said it would reaffirm that NATO remained ready to protect its citizens against Russia.

Britain said it had sanctioned over 3,400 individuals and organisations in response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The latest measures added chemical weapons research and alleged use to that list. The UK said it would continue to act with allies under the Chemical Weapons Convention framework.

With inputs from PTI