Give up the killers, novichok victim’s son urges Putin

THE son of the woman killed after being exposed to the nerve agent novichok has written to Vladimir Putin to beg for justice.

Ewan Hope, 20, asked the Russian president to hand over the two suspects so they can be questioned by British authorities.

His mother Dawn Sturgess, 44, died after coming into contact with the nerve agent on June 30 last year, in Amesbury, Wiltshire.

The deadly chemical was hidden in a perfume bottle and discarded following an assassination attempt against former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, 67, and his daughter Yulia, 34, in nearby Salisbury.

In his letter, Mr Hope said: ‘British police believe at least two Russian citizens were responsible for her death but it appears they are being protected by your state.

‘I am appealing to you... to allow our officers to question these men about my mother’s murder. The least she deserves is justice.’

Counter- terrorism officers Plea: Miss Sturgess and Mr Hope believe agents Alexander Mishkin and Anatoliy Chepiga, from military intelligence unit the GRU, were behind the attempted assassination of the Skripals last year.

Miss Sturgess died eight days after unknowingly spraying herself with the poison. Her partner Charlie Rowley was in a coma for days and suffered a series of strokes.

Mr Hope told the Sunday Mirror: ‘Putin needs to give up these killers... We’ve lost our mum and all we want is justice. He should be able to understand that.’

Mr Putin has previously denied that Russian agents were involved in the Salisbury attack.