British couple poisoned by the same nerve agent used to attack Russian spy in March

Two British citizens are critically ill after they were exposed to the same nerve agent that targeted former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in March, called Novichok, Reuters reports.

The couple, a 44-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man, were found unwell on Saturday in Amesbury, which is seven miles away from Salisbury, the place where the two Russians were attacked a few months ago.

Britain accused Russia of poisoning the Skripals with Novichok – a nerve agent developed by the Soviet military during the Cold War – in what is the first known offensive use of such a chemical weapon on European soil since World War Two. Russia denied any involvement and suggested that Britain had carried out the attack to stoke anti-Russia hysteria.

It is unknown how the couple came into contact with the nerve agent and whether they were specifically targeted.

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