Dawn Sturgess, who has died as a result of Novichok poisoning, is pictured in Salisbury, Britain
Britain's top counter-terrorism officer said on Monday that detectives were unable to say if the Novichok that two Britons were exposed to was the same that struck down a former Russian double agent and his daughter.
Dawn Sturgess, 44, died after she was exposed to Novichok on June 30 in western England, just a few miles from where Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were attacked with the same poison four months ago.
"This latest horrendous turn of events has only served to strengthen the resolve of our investigation team as we work to identify those responsible for this outrageous, reckless and barbaric act," Neil Basu, Britain's most senior counter-terrorism officer, told reporters.
"They are unable to say at this moment whether or not the nerve agent found in this incident is linked to the attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal," Basu said.
The Kremlin said on Thursday it had offered Britain its assistance in investigating a nerve agent attack on a Russian former spy and his daughter in Salisbury in March long ago, but had been rebuffed.The Kremlin was commenting on remarks by British Security Minister Ben Wallace who earlier on Thursday called on Moscow to give details about the original Novichok nerve agent attack after two British citizens were struck down with the same poison.Moscow denies any involvement in the original attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia and has cast allegations of Russian involvement as part of a sophisticated plot to damage its reputation and hosting of the soccer World Cup.The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russia had long been ready to help Britain get to the bottom of what really happened to the Skripals but complained it had been ignored.Britain 'dumb' if it thinks Russia would stage nerve attack during World Cup: Russia"To my shame I don't know who Ben Wallace is," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call when asked about the British minister's call for Russian help."(But) the minister knows very well that Russia proposed a joint investigation long ago and that this proposal was on the agenda. It was made long ago and unfortunately the British side is not showing any interest in such proposals."Peskov said the Kremlin was worried by the latest news from Britain and hoped the two Britons in a critical condition would recover.He said he was unaware of any official British requests to Russia for help in relation to the investigation into the new incident and said the Kremlin was concerned by reports that a nerve agent had once again been used on European soil. UK calls on Russia to give details after new Novichok poisoning
Kremlin says offered Britain Salisbury attack help, was rebuffed
Britain's security minister called on Russia to give details about the Novichok nerve agent attack on a former double agent and his daughter after two British citizens were poisoned with the same substance.The two Britons are critically ill after what is thought to be a chance encounter with the poison after the March attack on former Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury in March.Britain has accused Russia of the poisoning of the Skripals, a charge Russia has repeatedly denied."The Russian state could put this 'wrong' right, they could tell us what happened, what they did and fill in some of the significant gaps that we are trying to pursue," Security Minister Ben Wallace told BBC radio on Thursday."They (Russia) are the ones who could fill in all the clues to keep people safe." UK couple near Salisbury showing similar symptoms to SkripalsBritish police say unknown substance leaves two people critically ill near Salisbury
UK calls on Russia to give details after new Novichok poisoning
A British couple whose possible poisoning is being investigated by counter-terrorism police are showing "very similar" symptoms to those suffered by Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, the Sun newspaper reported on Wednesday."Doctors have determined that the pair have been poisoned by toxins and are showing very similar ... symptoms to the former Russian military intelligence colonel and his daughter," the newspaper said.British police said on Wednesday they suspected the two people who were found in a critical condition near the English city where the Skripals were poisoned earlier this year may have been exposed to an unknown substance.British police say unknown substance leaves two people critically ill near Salisbury
UK couple near Salisbury showing similar symptoms to Skripals