The creator of Novichok has died. Vladimir Uglev was 80 years old.

Władimir Ugłow, a chemist born in 1946, gained fame for his work on Novichok, a group of toxic agents developed in the USSR. He worked at a research institute from 1975 to 1990, focusing on chemical weapons. Ugłow became internationally recognized in 2018 after discussing Novichok in relation to the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in the UK. He later consulted independent journalists on the use of Novichok by Russian authorities, including in the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in 2020. Despite allegations, Russia denied involvement in these incidents. Ugłow lived in Anapa in his later years, with no details provided about his death.