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UK City Becomes Global Crisis Epicenter
10 Jun
Summary
- Former Russian spy and daughter poisoned in 2018 nerve agent attack.
- British government accused Russia of orchestrating the assassination attempt.
- Film features testimony from officials, victims, and investigative journalists.
A gripping new documentary, "The Salisbury Poisonings: A Spy Next Door," is set to premiere on Sunday, July 12, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. This film revisits the 2018 Novichok nerve agent attack that thrust the English city of Salisbury into the center of an international crisis. The incident involved the poisoning of former Russian military officer and British intelligence double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
The British government publicly accused Russia of orchestrating the attempted assassination. The documentary meticulously reconstructs the events, incorporating compelling first-hand testimonies. These include insights from senior intelligence officials, counterterrorism leaders, journalists, and victims whose lives were irrevocably altered.
Key interviews feature former UK Prime Minister Theresa May and former Home Secretary Amber Rudd. The film also includes perspectives from former MI6 chiefs and former Head of Counter Terrorism Policing Neil Basu. Notably, it presents an exclusive interview with Charlie Rowley, the partner of Dawn Sturgess, who tragically died from the poisoning. Investigative journalist Christo Grozev also contributes his findings.
Director Dan Vernon highlighted the film's focus on the human element, exploring how an event in a small UK town escalated into a global crisis. Executive producers emphasized the unprecedented access and direct testimony, shedding new light on a pivotal moment that foreshadowed current geopolitical tensions. The doc previously premiered at CPH:DOX and will screen at DC/DOX and Sheffield DocFest.
