Full Answer
What is Novichok and when was it used?
Though Novichok was developed in the then-Soviet Union in 1970s, the Russian state has used it in recent years. In 2018, two Russian assassins used the chemical in an attempt to kill defected former military intelligence (GRU) officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury in 2018.
What is the treatment for novichok poisoning?
Nerve-agent poisoning can be treated with atropine and oxime. Even if the treatment is successful, victims can suffer lasting damage. The first use of Novichok may have been in 1995, when Russian businessman Ivan Kivelidi and his secretary, Zara Ismailova, were killed in Moscow.
Were Novichok agents designed to be undetectable?
More disturbing, especially for those living near the poisonings in Britain, is that the Novichok agents were designed to be undetectable by NATO chemical warfare detection methods, and to circumvent any NATO protective gear. This would allow them to be used with impunity by the Soviet Union (or Russia) against NATO troops.
What is the Novichok nerve agent used for?
The deadly nerve agent was previously used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury in 2018, as well as in the unintentional killing of Dawn Sturgess. What is the nerve agent Novichok?
How did they treat Novichok?
Dr Mirzayanov said there were antidotes - atropine and athene - that helped stop the action of the poison, but that they were not a cure. If a person is exposed to the nerve agent, their clothing should be removed and their skin washed with soap and water. Their eyes should be rinsed and they should be given oxygen.
What is the antidote for Novichok?
"There's no declassified information on reactivation" in Novichok victims, Radić says. One researcher says pralidoxime, an antidote carried by U.S. soldiers at risk of nerve agent exposure, helped the Salisbury victims—but not by reactivating AChE.
How did navalny survive?
It had been planned that Navalny would die on board the plane, but he had survived "thanks to a sequence of successful coincidences: the quick reaction of the pilot who made an emergency landing, and the doctors in Omsk, who immediately injected Navalny with atropine".
Can you survive Novichok?
Yes, you can be poisoned with Novichok and survive.
Can Novichok be Neutralised?
This is why Novichok is most likely a persistent nerve agent, which may last for days or weeks in the environment before being diluted through natural weathering or neutralised by the action of sunlight, bacteria or water.
What perfume bottle is Novichok?
Nina Ricci perfume bottleAfter it was placed on the front door of former double agent Sergei Skripal on 4 March 2018, a counterfeit Nina Ricci perfume bottle which was used to smuggle the nerve agent into the UK, was not recovered until 27 June.
What did Alexei Navalny do?
Navalny accused the Kremlin of orchestrating the attack. Navalny was released from jail on 27 July 2017 after spending 25 days of imprisonment. Before that, he was arrested in Moscow for participating in protests and was sentenced to 30 days in jail for organising illegal protests.
Who is Alexei Navalny wife?
Yulia NavalnayaAlexei Navalny / Wife (m. 2000)Yulia Borisovna Navalnaya is a Russian public figure, economist and the wife of the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. She has been described in media as the "First Lady" of the Russian opposition. Wikipedia
What is novichok made of?
The first Novichok series compound was in fact the binary form of a known V-series nerve agent, VR, while the later Novichok agents are the binary forms of compounds such as A-232 and A-234.
What happened to Nick Bailey?
An ex-policeman who sued his former force after being poisoned in the Salisbury Novichok attack says a financial settlement has been reached. Det Sgt Nick Bailey was the first person to enter the home of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia after they were found poisoned in March 2018.
Is Novichok airborne?
How is Novichok transmitted – can it be passed from person to person? The nerve agent comes in the form of an ultra-fine, but potent powder, which can be inhaled, ingested or absorbed through skin. It can be placed in food, drink, objects, or even in the air.
Is Novichok still in Salisbury?
The Salisbury Novichok poisonings have "left a mark" on the city, as the leader of Wiltshire Council says Russia's actions in Ukraine have reminded the community of the painful events which left one woman dead.
How does Novichok work?
How It Works. Novichok disrupts the mechanisms by which nerves transfer messages to organs, by inhibiting chemicals in the body that nerve cells use to regulate essential functions and blocking neurotransmitters. Nerve agents are usually colorless and tasteless liquids that may evaporate to a gas.
When was Novichok first used?
The first use of Novichok may have been in 1995, when Russian businessman Ivan Kivelidi and his secretary, Zara Ismailova, were killed in Moscow. A poisonous substance had been placed on Kivelidi’s telephone receiver in his office.
What are Novichok agents?
Specialists in the matter claim Novichok agents were designed to achieve four objectives: 1 - To be undetectable using standard 1970s and ‘80s NATO chemical-detection equipment 2 - To defeat NATO chemical-protective gear 3 - To be safer to handle 4 - To circumvent the Chemical Weapons Convention’s list of controlled precursors
How does Novichok enter the body?
Novichok can enter the body by inhalation, ingestion, or contact with the skin.
Where is Novichok developed?
Novichok is a nerve agent developed at the GosNIIOKHT state chemical-research institute in Russia. It belongs to a broad class of compounds called cholinesterase inhibitors, which are used in a wide range of medicines and poisons.
Where was Sergei Skripal poisoned?
On March 4, 2018, Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned in Salisbury, England, with a Novichok nerve agent.
What to do if you suspect you have been exposed to a nerve agent?
If you suspect you have been exposed to a nerve agent, you should remove all clothing immediately and wash using abundant amounts of soap and water. Then seek immediate emergency medical attention. Nerve-agent poisoning can be treated with atropine and oxime.
Who was taken fighting for their lives after exposure to Novichok nerve agent?
People in protective clothing at the home of Charlie Rowley, 45, after him and Dawn Sturgess, 44, were taken fighting for their lives after exposure to Novichok nerve agent, Amesbury Credit: PA:Press Association.
Who was the scientist who was exposed to Novichok?
Andrei Zheleznyakov, one of the scientists involved in their development, was accidentally exposed to Novichok in a Moscow lab in 1987. He was critically injured and took ten days to recover consciousness after the incident.
How much more potent is Novichok than VX?
Russian scientists who developed it between 1971 and 1993 claim that some variants are up to eight times more potent than the highly toxic VX. Novichok can be ingested through the skin and disrupts the transmission of chemicals through the body's nervous system.
What is the name of the poison that is so powerful that a pinprick can kill in minutes?
NOVICHOK is a deadly nerve agent that is so powerful that just a pinprick can kill in minutes. The odourless and clear toxin was developed in Russia and has made the headlines again after German officials announced on September 2 that traces of the nerve agent were found in Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. 1. People in protective clothing ...
What is Novichok?
What is Novichok? Nerve agent used to poison Alexei Navalny – The Sun
What was the name of the chemical used in the attack on Alexei Navalny?
NOVICHOK has been identified by German officials as the substance used in a possible attack on Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who fell violently ill on August 20. The deadly nerve agent was previously used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury in 2018, as well as in the unintentional killing of Dawn Sturgess. 4.
What is the Russian word for "newcomer"?
Novichok - the Russian for newcomer or newbie - applies to a group of advanced nerve agents developed by the Soviet Union.
What was the name of the poison that was found in the Salisbury attack?
Cops searching their room on May 4 - almost two months after the attack in Salisbury - are said to have discovered minute traces of Novichok. Police said the nerve agent was brought into Britain in a Ninna Ricci ‘Premier Jour’ perfume bottle with a specially made poison applicator. 4. Police said the nerve agent was brought into Britain in ...
How do people die from suffocation?
Those affected usually die from total heart failure or suffocation as copious fluid secretions fill their lungs.
Where did the Skripals leave?
The pair are thought to have left the UK the morning after and arrived back in Russia under the protection of Vladimir Putin. In September 2018, police revealed names and photos of two Russian men wanted over the attempted hit on the Skripals.
Can nerve agent antidotes be used to help recovery?
However, these treatments are not guaranteed to aid recovery, and even if appropriate nerve agent antidotes are administered, there is still a high chance of permanent damage to the human body.
What is Novichok agent?
Novichok agents are organophosphate nerve agents. ‘Novichok’ loosely translates to ‘newcomer’ in Russian. Chemically, they are similar to the V series of organophosphate agents, which includes VX, and the G series, which includes sarin. What we know about Novichok agents is largely as a result of information divulged by a former Russian chemical ...
How deadly is Novichok?
Since no specific toxicology data is available for the Novichok agents, it is not possible to know exactly how deadly they are . However, it is reported that some of them can be up to ten times more lethal than VX, another deadly nerve agent. VX can kill if a person’s skin is exposed to just ten milligrams.
What are the structures of Novichok agents?
The structures of the Novichok agents remain unclear. Though they have been speculated on, and some suggested structures have appeared in books and journals, these structures differ from those Mirzayanov claims represent typical Novichok agents. He published a series of structures in his autobiography in 2008, shown in the graphic above. He also suggested that there were many more compounds produced and that the structures of the less potent compounds were openly reported as organophosphate insecticides to cover for the chemical weapons program.
What is the chemical behind the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal?
Today, this culminated in the British government revealing that it is believed a type of Novichok agent was the chemical culprit behind the attempted murder. This graphic takes a look at what we do know about Novichok agents ...
Is Novichok a binary compound?
Mirzayanov stated that the Novichok agents are binary compounds; that is, they can be formed by the combination of two different compounds that are safer to handle, making it possible to make them on demand. The exact precursor compounds used are not known.
How much more lethal was Novichok 5 than VX gas?
In an academic article published in 1995 by the Stimson Center, Mirzayanov wrote that Novichok-5 was five to eight times more lethal than VX gas. The German government suggested that the nerve agent used to poison Navalny may be somewhat different than the one used against Skripal.
Why did Mirzayanov go public?
In the 1990s, he had been tasked with ensuring the secrecy of Russia's chemical weapons program, but he decided to go public because he believed the program violated the country's commitment to the Chemical Weapons Convention that it had signed along with the United States.
What was the Russian leader's nerve agent?
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny is in serious condition after the German government revealed he was attacked with a deadly nerve agent. Novichok is a series of nerve agent weapons developed as part of a secret Soviet program and continued once the Soviet Union collapsed. A Novichok nerve agent was used to poison ...
What was the name of the Russian poisoned boy?
Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny was poisoned with Novichok nerve agent, German government says. "Novichok" translates as "New boy" from Russian and the name was given because the nerve agents were a new type known as "binaries.".
How long was Navalny in a coma?
The Skripals spent weeks in the hospital and remain under British government protection. Navalny has been in an induced coma for almost three weeks and is still connected to a ventilator in the intensive care unit, according to Berlin's the Charité hospital where he was evacuated from Russia at the demand of his family.
Where was the poison sprayed on Sergey Skripal's house?
in a perfume bottle by two agents from Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU, and had been sprayed on the door handle of Sergey Skripal's house in Salisbury. He and his daughter had likely then absorbed the poison through their skin. Mirzayanov though has said Novichok nerve agents can also take the form of powder and can be released through the air.
Where was the nerve agent sprayed?
in a perfume bottle by two agents from Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU, and had been sprayed on the door handle of Sergey Skripal's house in Salisbury.
How does Novichok work?
They work within minutes by paralyzing the muscles responsible for breathing, and stopping the heart. Seizures also occur. However, in some cases, if the dose is insufficient, death may be delayed or prevented but the victim continues to suffer from seizures, neuromuscular weakness, liver failure and other damage.
What happened to Novichok?
Novichok was implicated in the poisoning of two couples in Great Britain , causing the death of one woman in 2018.
Why is Novichok so difficult to clean up?
It would be equally difficult to clean up, because exactly which of the Novichok chemicals was used cannot be definitively determined. Though Novichok agents have never yet been used on a battlefield, their sole purpose is for chemical warfare. Their mission: kill rapidly, silently and undetectably.
What is Novichok poison?
Novichok, or “newcomer” in Russian, refers not to a single chemical but rather a group of related molecules designed for only one purpose: to kill. Soviet scientists applied that nickname to extremely toxic “nerve poisons” developed between the 1970s and 1990s. I am a neurotoxicologist.
What was the name of the chemical used to kill Sergei Skripal's daughter?
Novichok, or “newcomer” in Russian, refers not to a single chemical but rather a group of related molecules designed for only one purpose: to kill.
Why does Putin use Novichok?
Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to use the infamous Novichok nerve agent to poison his enemies precisely because the nerve agent can be linked to the Russian security services, according to two intelligence officials who have investigated Russian operations in the past. German doctors on Wednesday accused Russian authorities ...
When was Novichok invented?
Though Novichok was developed in the Soviet Union in 1970s, the Russian state has used it in assassination attempts in recent years. Two Russian agents used Novichok to try to assassinate a defected military intelligence officer in England in 2018, but failed to kill him. Navalny is expected to survive but with possible long-term damage.
What did Biden say about the poisoning of Alexei Navalny?
Biden condemns 'Russian state' for poisoning of Alexei Navalny, says Trump's 'silence is complicity'. Putin's love of poison — a messy and uncertain weapon for assassins — reflects his need for proven uncertainty. How Ukraine's audacious secret service successfully scammed Putin and his mercenaries.
Where were the Skripals poisoned?
But in the case of the UK — where the Skripals were poisoned in 2018 — and Germany — which saw a Russian government employee assassinate a Chechen dissident in central Berlin last August — there seems to be little sign that either is willing to take steps that would target Putin and stop his aggressive behavior. Getty.
Where was Navalny taken to?
Navalny fell into a coma and was taken to a Russian hospital, where doctors kept him from his personal doctor and from leaving the country for treatment for days.
Who died in the Skripals?
Both Skripal and his daughter survived, but a British woman — Dawn Sturgess — died after unwittingly picking up a fake perfume bottle containing the nerve agent, which had been abandoned near the site of the Skripals' poisoning.
Is Navalny still using Novichok?
Navalny is expected to survive but with possible long-term damage. Two intelligence officials told Insider that Putin continues to use Novichok against his enemies precisely because it can be linked back to Russia and can send a strong message.
Design Objectives
- Novichok agents were designed to achieve four objectives: 1. to be undetectable using standard 1970s and 1980s NATOchemical detection equipment; 2. to defeat NATO chemical protective gear; 3. to be safer to handle; and 4. to circumvent the Chemical Weapons Conventionlist of controlled precursors, classes of chemical and physical form. Some of these...
History and Disclosure
- Novichok agents were designed as part of a Soviet programme codenamed Foliant. Five Novichok variants are believed to have been adapted for military use. The most versatile is A-232 (Novichok-5). Novichok agents have never been used on the battlefield. The UK government determined that a novichok agent was used in the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England in March 2018. It was unanimously confirm…
Development and Test Sites
- Stephanie Fitzpatrick, an American geopolitical consultant, has claimed that the Chemical Research Institute in Nukus, Soviet Uzbekistan produced Novichok agents and The New York Times has reported that U.S. officials said the site was the major research and testing site for Novichok agents. Small, experimental batches of the weapons may have been tested on the nearby Ustyurt Plateau. Fitzpatrick also writes that the agents may have been teste…
Description of Novichok Agents
- Mirzayanov provided the first description of these agents. Dispersed in an ultra-fine powder instead of a gas or a vapour, they have unique qualities. A binary agent was then created that would mimic the same properties but would either be manufactured using materials which are not controlled substances under the CWC, or be undetectable by treaty regime inspections. The most potent compounds from this family, Novichok-5 and Novic…
Lifetime
- According to Vladimir Uglev, who headed a group that worked on the development of the Novichok agents, at least one liquid form of Novichok is very stable with a slow evaporation rate and can remain potent for possibly up to 50 years.Insufficient research has been conducted to fully understand its persistence in various situations in the environment.
Effects and Countermeasures
- As nerve agents, the Novichok agents belong to the class of organophosphate acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. These chemical compounds inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, preventing the normal breakdown of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Acetylcholine concentrations then increase at neuromuscular junctions to cause involuntary contraction of all skeletal muscles (cholinergic crisis). This then leads to respiratory and cardiac arre…
Instances of Usage
- Poisoning of Ivan Kivelidi and Zara Ismailova
A Novichok agent was used in 1995 to poison Russian banker Ivan Kivelidi[ru], who died three days later in a hospital at the age of 46. The poison was believed to have been applied to Kivelidi's office phone in Moscow. His secretary Zara Ismailova also developed symptoms one month later and then died a day later in a hospital at th… - Poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal
On 12 March 2018, the UK government said that a Novichok agent had been used in an attack in the English city of Salisbury on 4 March 2018 in an attempt to kill former GRU officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. British Prime Minister Theresa May said in Parliament: "Either this was a direct action by the Russian state against our c…
See Also
Further Reading
- Kincaid, Cliff (February 1995), "Russia's Dirty Chemical Secret", American Legion Magazine, American Legion, vol. 138, no. 2, pp. 32–34, 58
External Links
- Fedorov, Lev (27 July 1994). "Chemical Weapons in Russia: History, Ecology, Politics". Federation of American Scientists.
- "Russian chemical weapons". Federation of American Scientists.