Ex-Russian spy poisoned in English city during 2018 attack

CNN has aired a new documentary about the 2018 Novichok poisoning in Salisbury, England. The film premiered on July 12, 2026, at 8pm ET/PT. Director Dan Vernon made the documentary for CNN Films, and Passion Pictures produced it. Viewers who missed the broadcast could watch it on the CNN app the next day.

The attack targeted a former Russian spy using Novichok, a powerful military nerve agent. Salisbury is a quiet city, but the poisoning put thousands of local people in danger. The incident caused a serious crisis between Russia and several Western governments, because countries disagreed strongly about who was responsible. The attack showed that state-organised violence can reach into ordinary civilian communities far from any conflict zone.