DISINFO: Novichok is produced in Georgia and the US
SUMMARY
Laboratories producing chemicals of the Novichok group are located in Georgia and the United States, while Russia does not produce such substances.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on the Navalny poisoning and the Lugar lab. The narrative is also a classic example of whataboutism. The Kremlin has already falsely linked Novichok to a laboratory in Georgia two years ago, read more on EUvsDisinfo. At a news briefing on April 12, 2018, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova spoke on the investigation into the Skripal poisoning case and focused on the issue of “American bio laboratories in the post-Soviet space”, thus indirectly linking poisoning of Skripal and his daughter to Public Health Research Centers. Georgia and Ukraine were first named as the countries allegedly producing Novichok nerve agent by Zvezda nationwide TV channel. The latter did not rule out that Novichok came to the UK either from Georgia or from Ukraine. See a further debunk by Polygraph.