Renowned scientist Dr. Vil Mirzayanov, a key figure in the development of the lethal nerve agent Novichok, has expressed concerns that Russia, under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, is actively continuing the development of chemical weapons. Dr. Mirzayanov, now 90 years old, was part of a team at Moscow’s Gosniiokht institute in the 1970s that engineered Novichok to be more potent than any previous nerve agent, with the aim of weaponizing it.
In a bold move in the 1990s, as the Soviet Union collapsed, Dr. Mirzayanov risked his safety by disclosing details of Novichok to the world. Despite anticipating imprisonment, he believed it was his moral obligation to reveal the truth. However, the laws necessary to prosecute him had vanished with the Soviet Union’s demise, and he ultimately relocated to the United States to avoid prosecution attempts.
Dr. Mirzayanov expressed ongoing concerns that Novichok was not eradicated during the dissolution of the USSR. His 2008 book divulged the secrets of Novichok, including the chemical formulas required for its production. Shockingly, just eight days after the book’s release, the nerve agent was used in the poisoning of ex-Russian military officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
Former UK Prime Minister Theresa May identified the substance used in the attack as part of the Novichok group of nerve agents. Dr. Mirzayanov, taken aback by the deployment of Novichok as a lethal weapon, stated that he never foresaw its use for such purposes. Despite international investigations linking the attack to Putin, Russia has consistently denied any involvement.
Dr. Mirzayanov noted that the operatives responsible for applying Novichok in the Skripal poisoning appeared rushed and failed to administer a lethal dose. He also cast doubts on claims that Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny was targeted with Novichok in 2020, suggesting a different poison was used to avoid violating chemical weapons agreements.
Warning of Putin’s ongoing development of new and undetectable chemical weapons, Dr. Mirzayanov cautioned against underestimating Russia’s deceptive tactics in peace agreements. Drawing from his experience, he advised against naivety, emphasizing Russia’s history of exploiting loopholes in agreements to advance its agenda.