Vladimir Uglev Dies at 80
Vladimir Uglev, a biochemist who helped create the Novichok nerve agent used in high-profile poisoning attacks, died at the age of 80, The Insider reported. Uglev passed away on October 26 in the Russian Black Sea city of Anapa, where he had lived in recent years, according to The Insider and dnes.dir.bg.
The scientist gained public prominence in 2018 by giving a series of media interviews following the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury, United Kingdom. When Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny was poisoned with Novichok in 2020, Uglev again provided detailed commentary to various media outlets regarding the toxic properties of the nerve agent, dnes.dir.bg reported.
Consulting Work on Russian Intelligence Investigations
Beyond media interviews, Uglev served as a consultant for The Insider during the publication’s investigations into the use of Novichok by Russian intelligence services. reported that he assisted in preparing material regarding who produces Novichok in Russia and the specific manufacturing process involved.
During the 2020 media coverage, Uglev stated that Novichok could not be produced outside of a specialized laboratory. That assessment contradicted the official position of Moscow, which denied any involvement in the Salisbury attack, dnes.dir.bg reported.
International Regulation of Novichok Agents
Novichok designates a family of highly toxic nerve agents classified as prohibited by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
In a statement released by TASS, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that at least 20 Western countries work with toxic substances from the Novichok group and that data indicates the existence of about 140 variants of such chemical compounds.
Frequently Asked Questions About Vladimir Uglev and Novichok
When and where did Vladimir Uglev pass away?
Vladimir Uglev died on October 26 at the age of 80 in the Russian city of Anapa, according to The Insider.
Which research institutions did Uglev work for during his career?
Uglev worked as a senior researcher at the Volsk branch of GosNIIOKhT from 1975 to 1990, and he also conducted development work on early Novichok agents at the Ministry of Defense facility in Shikhany-2.
How did Uglev contribute to public investigations involving the nerve agent?
He provided extensive media commentary following the 2018 poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury and the 2020 poisoning of Alexei Navalny, while also consulting directly for The Insider on investigative reports regarding Russian intelligence services.
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