The roof of the home of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in the UK will be dismantled by military teams following the deadly nerve agent attack on him and his daughter, a media report said Tuesday. British detectives believe Skripal and his daughter Yulia first came into contact with Novichok, a military-grade poison, when it was sprayed on the door handle of their property, allegedly by Russian agents in March.
The clean-up at Christie Miller Road, Salisbury, has been taking place ever since they collapsed on March 5, the BBC reported. Wiltshire Council has warned neighbours of about four months of disruptions. Contractors will cover the house and garage with a “sealed frame”, according to a letter written by the council’s director of public of health, Tracy Daszkiewicz. A military team will then dismantle and remove the roofs.
Everything will be wrapped and sealed before being removed from the site. “When that work is completed, contractors will move on site to build a replacement roof for the house and adjoining garage.” She said the risk to public health remains “low”, adding: “The priority is to make sure that the two remaining sites affected by the 2018 incidents are thoroughly cleaned and returned to normal use as soon as possible.”
Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter survived the attack which Prime Minister Theresa May said had “almost certainly” been approved by the Russian state. Wiltshire Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey is also thought to have come into contact with the poison when he searched their home. Dawn Sturgess, 44, fell ill in nearby Amesbury months after the incident and died in hospital in July after coming into contact with a perfume bottle believed to have been used in the attack on the Skripals and then discarded.
Her partner, Charlie Rowley, 45, was also exposed to the same nerve agent but was treated and discharged. Two Russian nationals have been accused of travelling to the UK to try to murder Skripal with Novichok. The two suspects – known by their aliases Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov – were caught on CCTV in Salisbury the day before the attack.Russia has denied any role in the nerve agent attack in the UK, an incident that has soured London’s ties with Moscow and other western nations.
