The UK has announced sanctions on Russian actors involved in the development of Novichok and Epibatidine, which were linked to the deaths of Alexei Navalny and Dawn Sturgess.

Seven individuals and two leading scientific research institutes involved in Russia's chemical weapons programme have been sanctioned.

Those targeted are invoice in the development and production of toxic chemicals for purposes prohibited under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The sanctioned institutes include: SC Signal, a Russian state scientific research institute, GNIII VM, the State Scientific Research and Testing Institute for Military Medicine and GosNIIOKhT the State Scientific Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and Technology, which the UK sanctioned in October 2020.

Sanctioned individuals include Vladimir Kondratyev who co-authored a paper on the testing of Epibatidine focusing on its toxic qualities as well as Andrei Antokhin and Viktor Taranchenko who conducted research on Novichok nerve agents.

The UK has now sanctioned over 3,400 individuals and organisations in response to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.

Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper said: "Russia’s repeated use of chemical weapons is a sickening violation of international law and a direct threat to global security.

"From the use of Novichok nerve agents in Salisbury to Epibatidine in Siberia, poisoning Dawn Sturgess and Alexei Navalny, Russia continues to use barbaric tools to inflict death and suffering on innocent civilians, including in Ukraine.  

"We will continue to call out Russia’s violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention, hold those responsible to account, and work with allies to deter further use of these dangerous weapons."