Russian base where Novichock was made has been demolished before inspectors arrive The Russian chemical weapons base reportedly responsible for creating the nerve agent used in the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and […]

The Russian chemical weapons base reportedly responsible for creating the nerve agent used in the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter has been demolished ahead of a visit by international investigators.

The military research base in Shikhany, southern Russia, that produced Novichok throughout the Soviet period is in the process of being demolished, according to the town’s mayor.

The national security adviser Sir Mark Sedwill named the facility as the source of the substance that was used to poison the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in March.

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The mayor, Andrei Tatarinov, told media: “The buildings are currently being demolished, and all construction waste is passed through high-temperature furnaces. Burnt rubbish is stored at a special landfill site.”

Putin denial

President Vladimir Putin has fiercely denied involvement of the Russian state in the attack.

The chemical weapons expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon told The Mail on Sunday: “It is most unfortunate the Russians have decided to flatten the Shikhany labs, presumably to prevent the

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons investigation into the Salisbury attack getting evidence of these activities.

“The timing seems especially cynical as it is likely the OPCW would want to visit Shikhany. The destruction of the labs in this case seems like an admission of guilt.”

Ms Skripal, 33, was released from hospital last month, while her 66-year-old father is said no longer to be in a critical condition.