British investigation: Putin authorized the Novichok attack on Sergei Skripal, former spy

An independent investigation in the United Kingdom concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally authorized the 2018 Novichok nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal, an operation described as "astonishingly reckless" and which resulted in the death of an innocent woman, Dawn Sturgess. The report, presented by former British judge Anthony Hughes, states that the evidence of Russian state involvement and the GRU is "overwhelming," establishing that the operation was ordered at the highest level.

Following the conclusions, London summoned the Russian ambassador and announced extensive sanctions against the entire GRU and 11 Russian agents, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer labeled the attack as an act of aggression and reaffirmed support for Ukraine.