Last week the world witnessed a mafia-style attack against a former Russian GRU agent who had cooperated with British intelligence. Col. Sergei Skripal and his daughter are still in critical condition after exposure to a toxic nerve agent. The attack bore out Rush Limbaugh’s assertion that to understand modern Russia, we should view Vladimir Putin as Don Corleone of The Godfather.
Novichok – Developed in Soviet CW Labs
This week the UK government confirmed that the nerve toxin was of Russian origin. Prime Minister Teresa May said the toxins were from a type of nerve agents known as Novichok.
The poisons were purposely developed by the Soviets to be faster acting than other nerve agents, and undetectable.
Novichok (Russian for “Newcomer”) was invented in Soviet chemical weapons laboratories in the 1970s. It is more than five times as toxic as VX or sarin. “This is a more dangerous and sophisticated agent than sarin or VX and is harder to identify,” says Professor Gary Stephens, a University of Reading pharmacology expert.
“One of the main reasons these agents were developed is because their component parts are not on the banned list. It means the chemicals that are mixed to create it are much easier to deliver with no risk to the health of the courier.”
Novichok agents are manufactured as liquids or very fine powders. Attacks usually take the form of so-called ‘binary weapons,’ in which the formula is prepared in two separate liquids, applied in two steps. Each liquid is relatively harmless by itself, but when the two are combined they form the deadly poison. This provides some protection for those who handle them.
The poisons were purposely developed to be more toxic – and faster acting – than other nerve agents. Some versions can take effect in about a minute’s time. They attack the nervous system and cause heart failure, asphyxiation, or other quick deaths.
Putin as Don Corleone: ‘So Sorry for Your Loss’
In a further example of the ‘Putin as Don Corleone’ theme, the Russian embassy in the UK warned the British government against taking any punitive measures in response to the attack. The embassy tweeted that “any threat to take ‘punitive’ measures against Russia will meet with a response. The British side should be aware of that.”
Russian statements sound like a return to the bad old days of the Cold War, when Soviet apparatchiks routinely issued blatant untruths. The Embassy said the “false pretext of [Russia’s] alleged involvement in the poisoning of Sergey Skripal and his daughter constitutes an unprecedented, flagrant provocation that undermines the foundations of normal dialogue between our countries.”
“The investigation is being concluded in a non-transparent manner. Quite naturally, this is a source of concern.”
This came alongside statements expressing concern for the welfare of the Skripals. Again, the solicitude evoked images of a mafia Don weeping at the funeral of a man whose death he had ordered. “Literally the next day after the first reports on the poisoning of Mr Skripal and his daughter, the Embassy officially requested the Foreign Office to provide information on their health situation and the investigation.”
“This is important to us since his issue has become quite a negative factor for the relations between our countries due to the unfounded accusations against Russia advanced by the media. British officials don’t provide any additional information and don’t distance themselves from the media campaign. The investigation is being concluded in a non-transparent manner, whenever for the Russian side nor for the public. Quite naturally, this is a source of concern.”
Diplomatic Dance
The diplomatic dance has begun. The British ambassador in Moscow was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to hear a protest against accusations of Russian involvement. The British government announced the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats. Russia is bound to retaliate within 48 hours, if they observe normal protocol.
Teresa May has received assurances of solidarity from the United States, Germany, and France.
Each side is marshalling allied support for its position. Russia has lodged an official complaint with the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), alleging that Britain is creating a provocation rather than inviting Russia to cooperate in the investigation. Teresa May has received assurances of solidarity from the United States, Germany, and France. The UK made a presentation today to the NATO political decision making entity, the North Atlantic Council.
Prime Minister May’s office said that the UK does not intend to invoke Article Five, the collective defense provision of the NATO charter. Nevertheless, this clearly is shaping up to be the biggest bilateral diplomatic disruption in recent history. With the Home Secretary announcement of investigations into at least fourteen other suspicious deaths with Russian connections in recent years, the question of Putin’s mafia tactics is not likely to fade from British minds.
