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Vladimir Uglev, one of the developers of the Novichok nerve agent, dies at 80
Vladimir Uglev, one of the developers of the Novichok nerve agent, has died aged 80, The Insider reported. His work is significant because Novichok has been used in poisonings linked to Russian intelligence services and against critics of the Kremlin.
Uglev was a senior researcher at the Volsk branch of the State Research Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology from 1975 to 1990, when it developed chemical warfare agents including Novichok. He became widely known in 2018 after giving interviews following the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, and later advised independent journalists investigating alleged Russian intelligence use of the agent.
In short
- Novichok developer Vladimir Uglev has died aged 80.
- He worked at a Soviet chemical weapons research institute from 1975 to 1990.
- Uglev later spoke publicly about Novichok and advised journalists.
Explained simply
Novichok is the name given to a group of highly toxic nerve agents developed in the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The programme was run at state chemical research institutes, including a branch in Volsk where Vladimir Uglev worked as a senior researcher from 1975 to 1990.
Uglev became publicly known after the 2018 poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England, which British authorities attributed to Russian agents. He later advised independent journalists investigating reported uses of Novichok, a subject that has drawn attention to the risks of chemical weapons and allegations of their use against critics of the Kremlin.