EU war with Putin to halt his ‘kill squads’
Russia faces ‘strangling sanctions’ threat after latest novichok attack
Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov
It is not acceptable someone is killed with a chemical agent
VICTIM
Russian activist Alexei Navalny
VICTIM
Salisbury policeman Nick Bailey
RUSSIA is facing “strangling sanctions” aimed at dealing a massive blow to President Vladimir Putin over the latest nerve agent attack.
The EU – led by Germany – is thought to be preparing to act against Putin’s henchmen to erode his support if he refuses to investigate the poisoning of opposition politician Alexei Navalny.
The EU’s executive is holding off on immediate action but is expected to act as soon as Moscow indicates an independent probe will not be approved.
German experts have confirmed that Mr Navalny, an outspoken critic of the Kremlin, was attacked with the deadly Russian nerve agent novichok on a flight from Serbia to Moscow on August 20.
Mr Navalny, 44, was still in a coma and fighting for his life last night, under armed guard in a Berlin hospital, where
he was flown for treatment. It follows the novichok attack in Salisbury, Wilts, in 2018, and calls for crippling punishments on Moscow are growing.
A former British military mi litary intelligence analyst told the he Daily Mirror: “Nothing but strangling sanctions will work now.
“Putin knows he can expect little in the way of repercussions like military action. But more EU sanctions, led by Germany, are very likely and they are working slowly to erode his support.”
As the attack took place over Siberia, the analyst said “not much can be done by NATO or the UN, as the US may not back that and Putin can have a say in the UN”.
The EU does not want to be seen to escalate too soon but is pushing for a probe into the attack. European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said that the bloc would react based on Moscow’s next steps. He said: “It is not acceptable that someone is subject of assassination attempt with a militarygrade chemical agent.” German is under pressure to reconsider the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which will take gas from Russia to Germany. Wolfgang Ischinger, chair of the Munich Security Conference, said: “If we want to send a clear message to Moscow, then economic relations must be on the agenda. The Nord Stream 2 project must not be left out.”
The Kremlin denies involvement in the attack and says there are no grounds for sanctions. PM B o r i s Johnson said: “We have seen the deadly consequences of f novichok in the UK. We will work to ensure justice is done.”
Sarah Bailey, the wife of the police officer who was poisoned in Salisbury, said: “Justice would be nice. Actions speak louder than words.”
Det Sgt Nick Bailey was hurt while probing the attack on ex- spy Sergei Skripal and daughter Yulia, by Russian agents Ruslan Boshirov and Alexander Petrov. Dawn Sturgess, 44, died after coming into contact with the poison.
PETER STANO EUROPEAN COMMISSION SPOKESMAN