Spy’s Widow: UK Security Unchanged Between Husband’s Death and Novichok Incident

Marina Litvinenko, the widow of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, asserted that “nothing” had been altered or improved between the time of her husband’s death and the Novichok poisonings that occurred in Salisbury. Her husband, Alexander Litvinenko, passed away in 2006 in London, having been poisoned by Polonium 210 administered in a cup of tea. A public inquiry in 2016 concluded that President Vladimir Putin “probably” ordered Mr. Litvinenko’s assassination. In Wiltshire, two years following that determination, 44-year-old Dawn Sturgess died after encountering Novichok, which she believed was perfume in a bottle. Mrs. Litvinenko expressed that she “couldn’t believe” this incident had occurred. Mrs. Litvinenko stated to the Crime Next Door: Salisbury Poisonings podcast: “By not strengthening protection against an attack, people who commit crimes like this feel relaxed, it means they might do this again.” She further commented, “When no-one is arrested or extradited, they feel like it’s easy to do.” Ms. Sturgess’s death in July 2018 occurred several months after the attempted murder of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, both of whom survived the attack. According to his widow, the incidents involving the Skripals and Ms. Sturgess bear a “similar” resemblance to the events surrounding Mr. Litvinenko in 2006. A year-long inquiry, initiated in 2015 to investigate the details of Mr. Litvinenko’s death, concluded that Putin was “probably” responsible for the assassination, a claim Russia denies. Baroness Theresa May, who served as prime minister from 2016 to 2019, had previously remarked: “I think we probably should have taken a stronger response to that at the time and given a clearer message to Russia.” Ms. Litvinenko characterized Ms. Sturgess as “an innocent victim,” stating, “No one targeted and tried to kill her. It makes it even worse because [Alexander] was a dissident, very critical of Putin, so his life was in danger even here [in the UK]. “But to ordinary British people who feel like they should be protected and then just die one day because some foreign agents come to play their games here, I don’t think it makes them feel comfortable.” She further commented, “When we finally had a public inquiry and more evidence… I thought it might open eyes, not just here in the UK, but across the world, that it can’t be business as usual for Putin.” Mr. Litvinenko, a Russian national, had sought asylum in Britain in 2000 after expressing concerns regarding their safety. Ms. Litvinenko recalled her husband’s assurance: “We are on an island, we are in a kingdom, we are under protection of the Queen, we are in a safe place.” She added, “[The Russians] were not going to do something bad, but the people ruling Russia now have different rules.” Mr. Litvinenko, a father of three, had previously served as an officer in Russia’s Federal Security Service, which succeeded the KGB. Subsequently, he became a strong critic of the Kremlin, obtained British citizenship, and worked for the British intelligence agency MI6. Allegations suggest that Mr. Litvinenko was investigating connections between the Russian mafia and Spain and had intended to travel to Spain with former agent Andrei Lugovoi, who is considered the primary suspect in his murder. On 1 November 2006, Mr. Litvinenko met Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun for tea at a London hotel. He unknowingly consumed the radioactive substance via his beverage and rapidly fell ill. His health deteriorated over three weeks, resulting in hospitalization and ultimately his death on 23 November. Ms. Litvinenko was in Berlin in March 2018 when the Skripals were discovered unconscious on a bench in Salisbury. She immediately perceived the situation as “strange.” Ms. Litvinenko stated, “I couldn’t believe it happened again. After our public inquiry, it was so obvious you have to take more care and not allow anyone to commit a similar crime on your country. I believed it would be a good lesson for the state to protect its own citizens, but it didn’t happen.” She added, “I know security since 2018 has become more serious for other people, but it’s still not enough.” A spokesperson for the Home Office conveyed that their “deepest sympathies” continue to be with Ms. Sturgess’s family. Ms. Litvinenko expressed her disappointment with the UK government, believing her late husband would share this sentiment. Following the Salisbury poisonings, Mr. Skripal declined the government’s proposal for a name change. Ms. Litvinenko argued that security services should have compelled him to accept the offer due to the inherent risk, citing that “Putin made a very strong comment that any enemy would be punished.” She emphasized the responsibility to safeguard the broader public, not solely Mr. Skripal. She remarked, “It’s unbelievable what people just suffered because somebody decided to punish somebody in another country.” Ms. Litvinenko commented that the Dawn Sturgess inquiry was improbable to yield “any special point of achievement” but would offer her family “the satisfaction that people will understand what happened to you.” Caroline Sturgess, Dawn’s mother, had previously informed the ongoing inquiry that it was a “solace” to her family that no other fatalities occurred in the Amesbury incident. Ms. Litvinenko asserted that authorities must learn from this, stating, “You need to protect them, and take it more seriously. Every time when we talk about politics or anything, we have to remember humanity. It’s all we need to be remembered, and it might change something if politicians will think about people more in this way.” The Russian government has consistently denied any involvement in the Salisbury poisonings, and the Russian embassy has been contacted for a statement. BBC Sounds: Salisbury Poisonings The complete interview with Marina Litvinenko is available, and updates from the inquiry can be followed via the podcast, with the episode accessible on BBC Sounds. BBC Wiltshire can be followed on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.