Anthony Hughes, who chaired the public inquiry into Sturgess\u2019 death, said the attack was \u201cexpected to stand as a public demonstration of Russian power\u201d and \u201camounted to a public statement, both for international and domestic consumption, that Russia will act decisively in what it regards are its own interests.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said there were \u201cfailings\u201d to adequately protect the Skripals, but acknowledged CCTV cameras, alarms or hidden bugs would not have stopped a \u201cprofessionally mounted attack with a nerve agent.\u201d<\/p>\n
The government believes the Russian president personally approved the poisoning on Skripal. The ex-Russian spy lived in an easily accessible property\u00a0and declined the offer of CCTV.<\/p>\n
In a statement following publication of the report, Hughes\u00a0said Sturgess\u2019 death was \u201cneedless and arbitrary. She was the entirely innocent victim of the cruel and cynical acts of others.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI\u2019ve concluded that the operation to assassinate Sergei Skripal must have been authorized at the highest level, indeed, by President Putin.\u201d<\/p>\n