Inquiry Reveals Details of Covert Operation into Novichok Attack Suspects

An inquiry has been informed that two individuals suspected in the Salisbury poisoning traveled to the city “for reconnaissance purposes” the day prior to initiating their assault. Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, provided testimony on Tuesday to the investigation examining Dawn Sturgess’s death. According to his statement, mobile phone cell site records from 3 March 2018 indicated that all three Russian agents implicated convened at Waterloo station before two proceeded to Salisbury. The Kremlin has consistently refuted any involvement in the incident. The investigation has been presented with information regarding the “top secret” operation, named Operation Catervan, which focused on the Russian agents believed to be involved. The individuals observed in Salisbury were identified as Ruslan Boshirov and Alexander Petrov. Nevertheless, these were pseudonyms; their actual identities were subsequently disclosed as Alexander Mishkin and Anatoliy Chepiga. Law enforcement monitored the men’s movements utilizing mobile phone data and CCTV footage, which suggested they might have remained in Salisbury to ascertain the success of their operation. A third individual, known by the alias Sergey Fedotov, accompanied the duo in London but was not present in Salisbury. His genuine name is thought to be Denis Sergeev. Charges have been brought against all three men concerning the assault on Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, but not for the fatality of Dawn Sturgess. No one has been indicted for her murder, as she inadvertently encountered the nerve agent. Commander Murphy stated that Operation Caterva constituted “a small team based on need-to-know” and held a “top secret” classification. The charges filed against the Russians were under their assumed names, which is why they are referenced by those names in the inquiry. Commander Murphy indicated that Petrov and Boshirov belonged to the Russian intelligence agency identified as the GRU. The three individuals faced charges including conspiracy to murder, three counts of attempted murder, two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent, and a single count of using or possessing a chemical weapon. These charges pertain to the occurrences in Salisbury in March 2018, distinct from Ms Sturgess’s later death after her exposure to Novichok several months afterward. The movements of the suspects were reconstructed following the attack, revealing that all three arrived in London on 2 March 2018 and departed on 4 March via Aeroflot flights. Their application forms indicate that they all entered with approved UK visas, which were sought and issued in 2017. Each provided phone numbers on these forms, which proved instrumental in tracking their whereabouts. Commander Murphy posits that the third individual, Fedotov, acted as a coordinator or “at least a support mechanism.” He elaborated, stating, “It just seems fantastical to me that they would all three be in London at the same time for a short period over one weekend.” Mobile phone mast records revealed Petrov and Fedotov were in close proximity for approximately 30 minutes near Waterloo Station, immediately preceding Petrov and Boshirov boarding the train to Salisbury on 3 March. The two famously granted an interview to Russian television, asserting their desire to view Salisbury Cathedral’s 123m high spire. However, Commander Murphy indicated that they did not visit tourist attractions but rather proceeded away from the city center towards the vicinity of Christie Miller Road, the Skripals’ residence. The preliminary reconnaissance, conducted before the poisoning, occurred while the Skripals were absent from their home, as Sergei had departed to collect his daughter Yulia from the airport. On 4 March, the day the poisoning took place, the two agents who had traveled to Salisbury departed from the City Stay Hotel in Bow. Subsequently, two months later, minute traces of Novichok were discovered near the sink and window within their accommodation. On the day of the poisoning, a 15-minute interval existed during which no CCTV coverage was available on Christie Miller Road. Consequently, security services infer that the Novichok was applied to the front door handle of the Skripals’ residence between 12:00 and 12:15 BST. Prior to their return train journey to London at 14:33 BST that day, CCTV footage recorded the two agents walking past the station and proceeding back to Devizes Road, which is close to Christie Miller Road. This timing would have allowed them to observe the Skripals departing their home, had the agents intended to confirm the plan’s success, as presented to the inquiry. The container holding Novichok, which caused Ms Sturgess’s death, resembled a common perfume product, presented in a Nina Ricci box and bottle. Commander Murphy stated that the precise method of its arrival in the UK remains unknown. He did, however, suggest it was “entirely possible” that Fedotov, who was situated in London but not Salisbury, transferred the nerve agent to the other individuals. When questioned about whether detection systems at Gatwick or Heathrow airports would have identified Novichok if it had been transported in hand or checked baggage, Mr Murphy responded that he could not discuss that matter during the public session. The Russian government has consistently disavowed its participation in the Salisbury poisonings, and the three individuals suspected have not been apprehended. 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