A New Phase of Russia Aggression Slide 2 • Military-grade Novichok nerve agent positively identified by experts at the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down, an OPCW-accredited and designated laboratory • Novichok is a group of agents developed only by Russia and not declared under the CWC • A violation of the fundamental prohibition on the use of chemical weapons (Art. 1 CWC) • First offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the Second World War • We are without doubt that Russia is responsible. No country bar Russia has combined capability, intent and motive. There is no plausible alternative explanation • As of Sunday 18 March, we count over thirty parallel lines of Russian disinformation “Based on this capability, combined with their record of conducting state sponsored assassinations – including against former intelligence officers whom they regard as legitimate targets - the UK Government concluded it was highly likely that Russia was responsible for this reckless and despicable act.” Prime Minister Theresa May, 14 March