State Scientific Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and Technology (Gosniiokht)

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CHW0017State Scientific Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and Technology (Gosniiokht)#

Entity · designated 2021-01-06 under The Chemical Weapons (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 · UK listing · entry last updated 2025-04-09

DetailsParent companies: Russian Ministry of Defence. Contact: DIR@GosNIIOKhT.rmt.ru; 7+495+2732405

IdentifiersUKSL CHW0017. OFSI group 13975

NamesPrimary name: State Scientific Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and Technology (Gosniiokht). Primary name variants: Federal State Unitary Enterprise "State Research Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology" (GosNIIOKhT)

SanctionsAsset freeze, Director Disqualification Sanction (indicators: asset freeze, director disqualification sanction). Regime: The Chemical Weapons (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. Source: UK. Designated 2021-01-06.

Other informationThe Director Disqualification Sanction was imposed on 09/04/2025.

Statement of reasonsThe Federal State Unitary Enterprise State Scientific Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and Technology (Gosniiokht) is a state research institute within Russia with responsibility for the destruction of chemical weapon stocks inherited from the Soviet Union. The institute in its original role, before 1994, was involved in the development and production of chemical weapons, including the toxic nerve agent now known as ‘Novichok’. After 1994, the same family who owned the institute took part in the government’s program for destruction of the stocks of chemical weapons inherited from the Soviet Union. The subsequent deployment of a toxic nerve agent of the Novichok group against Alexey Navalny would therefore only be possible because the institute had failed to carry out its responsibility to destroy the stockpiles of chemical weapons. Russia had the technical capability to carry out the attack. The Russian State has previously produced Novichoks and would still be capable of doing so. Within the last decade, Russia has produced and stockpiled small quantities of Novichok. It is unlikely that Novichoks could be made and deployed by non-state actors (e.g. a criminal or terrorist group). Russia had the operational experience to carry out the attack. Russia has a proven record of state-sponsored assassination. It is highly likely that the Russian state was responsible for the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury in 2018 using a similar type of nerve agent. During the 2000s, Russia commenced a programme to test means of delivering chemical warfare agents, including investigation of ways of delivering nerve agents. Russia had the motive and opportunity to carry out the attack. Navalny was a high profile Russian opposition politician who vocally criticised the Russian administration and establishment. He was on Russian territory under surveillance by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation at the time of the attack. As the institute responsible for the destruction of chemical weapons within the Russian Federation, Gosniiokht bears responsibility for the preparation and use of chemical weapons in the attempted assassination of Alexey Navalny.

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