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Russia Chemical Weapons
06 July 2026
Type
Written Ministerial Statement
Department
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
At a Glance
Issue Summary
Stephen Doughty is addressing the recent poisoning of Alexei Navalny in Russia using a lethal toxin and the broader pattern of Russian use of chemical weapons.
Action Requested
The UK government is implementing new sanctions targeting two Russian institutions and key individuals involved in developing toxic chemicals, in response to Russia's violation of international conventions on chemical and biological weapons. These measures build upon existing sanctions for chemical weapon usage in Ukraine.
Key Facts
- Alexei Navalny was poisoned with Epibatidine while in custody.
- Previous incidents include the poisoning of Navalny with Novichok in 2020 and the Salisbury attack on the Skripals in 2018, resulting in Dawn Sturgess's death.
- The UK is imposing sanctions under its Chemical Weapons regime to target Russian institutions and individuals responsible for developing lethal toxins and nerve agents.
- Russia has not destroyed all chemical weapons as claimed in 2017 and has not renounced biological weapons.
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