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OPCW to collect additional samples on Amesbury incident site

In mid-July, a group of OPCW experts already visited Amesbury at the UK’s request

© AP Photo/Matt Dunham

THE HAGUE, August 7. /TASS/. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) will collect additional samples on the Amesbury incident site, the organization reported on its website on Tuesday.

The report says that the United Kingdom addressed the organization on August, asking the OPCW to extend its technical assistance in the technical evaluation of unscheduled chemicals.

"In response to the request, the OPCW will deploy a technical assistance team for a follow-up visit and to collect additional samples. Samples will be sent to two OPCW designated laboratories. Once the results of the analysis are received, the report will be submitted to the United Kingdom," the report says.

AMESBURY POISONING

In mid-July, a group of OPCW experts already visited Amesbury at the UK’s request to identify the substance that is supposed to have caused the death of one person.

On June 30, Charles Rowley, aged 45, and his partner Dawn Sturgess, aged 44, were hospitalized in the city of Amesbury in critical condition. On July 8, Scotland Yard reported the death of Sturgess. Investigated launched a criminal case. Rowley later recovered and was questioned by the police.

The London police counter-terrorism department earlier stated that Sturgess and Rowley came into contact with Novichok, the same nerve agent that allegedly poisoned former Colonel of the Main Intelligence Directorate Sergei Skripal, who was convicted in Russia for spying for the UK, and his daughter Yulia. London then blamed Moscow for the incident.

Moscow repeatedly refuted its involvement in the Salisbury incident.

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