London imposes sanctions on Russian scientists over poison attacks

British Foreign Minister Cooper stated that Russia's repeated use of chemical weapons was a despicable violation of international law and a direct threat to global security. The remarks were published in a statement by the British Foreign Office.

The punitive measures are also linked to the death of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who, according to findings by Western states, is believed to have been poisoned with the substance epibatidine. The EU had also recently adopted sanctions against Russian scientists and researchers in connection with Navalny's death.

Attack on Skripal with Novichok

They are said to have been involved in the production of the toxic substances. The individuals and institutes now being sanctioned are accused of having played a role in the production of the nerve agents used. The Foreign Office described the institutes as leading scientific institutions in Russia.

Seven individuals and two leading scientific institutes are affected by the sanctions, according to London. According to the Foreign Office, the measures include entry bans and the freezing of assets in British territory.

The Navalny case and epibatidine

The Novichok attack on Skripal attracted international attention in 2018 in the English city of Salisbury. Skripal and his daughter survived the attack, but an uninvolved woman died as a result of the poisoning. The British government held Russian intelligence services responsible for the attack at the time, which Moscow consistently denied.

In the Navalny case, Western states point to laboratory tests said to have detected the substance epibatidine in samples taken from the opposition figure. According to official statements by Russian authorities, Navalny died in custody. His supporters and numerous Western governments, however, see political persecution as the cause.

International reactions

The British government announced that it would continue to call on the international community to act against the use of chemical weapons. The United Kingdom would continue its sanctions policy toward Russia, according to London. Further consultations on additional punitive measures are also underway at the EU level.

The report was broadcast on 06.07.2026 on the Deutschlandfunk programme. The report was distributed via the dpa-AFX news agency. The British government emphasized that the sanctions were part of a coordinated response by Western states to the repeated use of chemical warfare agents.

With the new measures, London is intensifying the pressure on Moscow. According to the British Foreign Office, the sanctions are also intended to target the scientific infrastructure said to be involved in the development of nerve agents. The United Kingdom is thereby significantly expanding its previous sanctions policy against Russia.