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This article forms part of the series Chemical warfare
(A subset of Weapons of mass destruction)
Lethal agents
Blood agents
Cyanogen chloride (CK)
Hydrogen cyanide (AC)
Blister agents
Lewisite (L)
Sulfur mustard gas (HD, H, HT, HL, HQ)
Nitrogen mustard gas (HN1, HN2, HN3)
Nerve agents
G-Agents
Tabun (GA), Sarin (GB) Soman (GD), Cyclosarin (GF)
GV
V-Agents
VE, VG, VM, VX
Novichok agents
Pulmonary agents
Chlorine
Chloropicrin (PS)
Phosgene (CG)
Diphosgene (DP)
"Non-lethal" agents
Incapacitating agents
Agent 15 (BZ)
Kolokol-1
Riot control agents
Pepper spray (OC)
CS gas
CN gas (mace)
CR gas This box: view • talk • edit

Novichok (Russian новичок: "Newcomer") is a series of nerve agents that were developed by the Soviet Union in the 1980s and 1990s and allegedly the most deadly nerve agents ever made. ^{[1] [2]} They belong to "third generation chemical weapons" designed as a part of Soviet "Foliant" program. ^[3] Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File links WMD-chemical. ... Chemical warfare is warfare (and associated military operations) using the toxic properties of chemical substances to kill, injure or incapacitate an enemy. ... For the album, see Weapons of Mass Destruction (album). ... A blood agent (also called a cyanogen agent) is a compound that prevents the normal transfer of oxygen from the blood to the body tissues, resulting in chemical asphyxiation. ... Cyanogen chloride, also known as CK, is a highly toxic blood agent first proposed for use in warfare by the French. ... Hydrogen cyanide is a chemical compound with chemical formula HCN. A solution of hydrogen cyanide in water is called hydrocyanic acid. ... Blister agents are named for their ability to cause large, painful water blisters on the bodies of those affected. ... Lewisite is a chemical compound from a chemical family called arsines. ... The sulfur mustards, of which mustard gas is a member, are a class of related cytotoxic, vesicant chemical warfare agents with the ability to form large blisters on exposed skin. ... The nitrogen mustards are cytotoxic chemotherapy agents similar to mustard gas. ... Nerve agents (also known as nerve gases, though these chemicals are liquid at room temperature) are a class of phosphorus-containing organic chemicals (organophosphates) that disrupt the mechanism by which nerves transfer messages to organs. ... Tabun or GA (Ethyl N,N-dimethylphosphoramidocyanidate) is an extremely toxic substance that is one of the worlds most dangerous military weapons. ... Sarin, also known by its NATO designation of GB (O-Isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate) is an extremely toxic substance whose sole application is as a nerve agent. ... Boiling point 198 °C (388 °F) Freezing/melting point −42 °C (−44 °F) Vapor pressure 0. ... Cyclosarin or GF (Cyclohexyl methylphosphonofluoridate) is an extremely toxic substance that is one of the worlds most dangerous weapons of war. ... Skeletal formula of GV Ball-and-stick model of GV GV (P-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-N,N-dimethylphosphonamidic fluoride) is an organophosphate nerve agent. ... VE (S-(Diethylamino)ethyl O-ethyl ethylphosphonothioate) is a V-series nerve agent closely related to the better-known VX nerve gas. ... VG (also called Amiton or Tetram) is a V-series nerve agent closely related to the better-known VX nerve agent. ... VM (Phosphonothioic acid, methyl-, S-(2-(diethylamino)ethyl) O-ethyl ester) is a V-series nerve agent closely related to the better-known VX nerve agent. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Categories: Chemical weapons | Stub ... General Name, Symbol, Number chlorine, Cl, 17 Chemical series halogens Group, Period, Block 17, 3, p Appearance yellowish green Standard atomic weight 35. ... Chloropicrin is a slightly oily, colorless or faintly yellow liquid of the formula CCl3NO2. ... Phosgene (also known as carbonyl chloride, COCl2) is a highly toxic gas or refrigerated liquid that was used as a chemical weapon in World War I. It has no color, but is detectable in air by its odor, which resembles moldy hay. ... Diphosgene (ClCO2CCl3) Diphosgene (Trichloromethyl chloroformate, ClCO2CCl3) is a chemical originally developed for chemical warfare, a few months after the first use of phosgene. ... The term incapacitating agent is defined by the U.S. Department of Defense as An agent that produces temporary physiological or mental effects, or both, which will render individuals incapable of concerted effort in the performance of their assigned duties. ... Diagram of a BZ molecule 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB), empirical formula C21H23NO3, full chemical name 1-azabicyclo[2. ... KOLOKOL-1 is an opiate-derived incapacitating agent. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Pepper spray (also known as OC spray (from Oleoresin Capsicum), OC gas, capsicum spray, or oleoresin capsicum) is a lachrymatory agent (a chemical compound that irritates the eyes to cause tears, pain, and even temporary blindness) that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense... CS or 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (also called o-Chlorobenzylidene Malononitrile)(chemical formula: C10H5ClN2) is a substance that is used as a riot control agent and is claimed to be non-lethal. ... Not to be confused with hydrogen cyanide, HCN. CN, or chloroacetophenone, is a gas used as a riot control agent. ... CR gas or dibenzoxazepine, chemically dibenz[b,f][1,4]oxazepine, is an incapacitating agent and a lachrymatory agent. ... Nerve agents (also known as nerve gases, though these chemicals are liquid at room temperature) are a class of phosphorus-containing organic chemicals (organophosphates) that inhibit the acetylcholinesterase enzyme in animals. ... Nerve agents (also known as nerve gases, though these chemicals are liquid at room temperature) are a class of phosphorus-containing organic chemicals (organophosphates) that inhibit the acetylcholinesterase enzyme in animals. ...

Design objectives

These agents are designed to achieve three objectives:

• To be undetectable using standard NATO chemical detection equipment.
• Defeat NATO chemical protective gear.
• To be safer to handle. Some of these agents are binary weapons, in which precursors for the nerve agents are mixed in a munition to produce the agent just prior to its use. Because the precursors are generally significantly less hazardous than the agents themselves, this technique makes handling and transporting the munitions a great deal simpler. Additionally, precursors to the agents are usually much easier to stabilize than the agents themselves, so this technique also made it possible to increase the shelf life of the agents. During the 1980s and 1990s, binary versions of several Soviet agents were developed and are designated as "Novichok" agents (after the Russian word for "newcomer").

Binary chemical weapons or munitions are chemical weapons wherein the toxic agent is not contained within the weapon in its active state, but in the form of two chemical precursors, physically separated within the weapon. ... Shelf-life is the length of time that corresponds to a tolerable loss in quality of a processed food. ... Novichok was developed by the Soviets as allegedly the most deadly binary nerve gas ever made. ...

Disclosure

The extremely potent third-generation chemical weapons have been developed in the Soviet Union and Russia in 1970s to 1990s according to a publication of two chemists, Lev Fedorov and Vil Myrzayanov in Moskovskiye Novosti weekly in 1992 ^[4] The publication appeared just on the eve of signing the Chemical Weapons Convention by Russia. According to Mirzayanov, Russian Military Chemical Complex (MCC) was using defense conversion money received from the West for development of a chemical warfare facility ^{[2] [1]} Mirzoyanov made his disclosure out of environmental concerns. He was a head of a counter-intelligence department and did measurements outside the chemical weapons facilities to make sure that foreign spies can not detect any traces of the production. To his horror, the levels of deadly substances eighty times exceed the maximum safe concentration.^[2] (full account by Mirzayanov is available online ^[5]) Moskovskiye Novosti (in English: Moscow News) is a long-established weekly newspaper aimed at an educated, elite audience. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Chemical Weapons Convention Opened for signature January 13, 1993 in Paris Entered into force April 29, 1997 Conditions for entry into force Ratification by 50 states and the convening of a Preparatory Commission Parties 181 (as of Oct. ...

The existence of Novichok agents has been openly admitted by Russian military industrial complex authorities when they brought a treason case against Mirzayanov. According to expert witness testimonies prepared for the KGB by three scientists, novichok and other related chemical agents indeed has been produced and therefore the disclosure by Mirzoyanov represents high treason. ^[6] The term military-industrial complex usually refers to the combination of the U.S. armed forces, arms industry and associated political and commercial interests, which grew rapidly in scale and influence in the wake of World War II, although it can also be used to describe any such relationship of... Traitor redirects here. ... The KGB emblem and motto: The sword and the shield KGB (transliteration of КГБ) is the Russian-language abbreviation for Committee for State Security, (Russian: ; Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti). ... {{main|Treason}} High treason, broadly defined, is an action which is grossly disloyal to ones country or sovereign. ...

[Vil Mirzayanov]] was arrested in October 22, 1992 and put to Lefortovo prison for allegedly divulging state secrets. He was released later because "not one of the formulas or names of poisonous substances in the Moscow News article was new to the Soviet press, nor were locations ... of testing sites revealed" ^[2] According to Yevgenia Albats, "the real state secret revealed by Fyodorov and Nirzoyanov was that generals had lied - and were still lying - to both the international community and their fellow citizens" ^[2]. He now lives in the U.S.^[7] is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Lefortovo prison is a prison in Moscow, Russia, since 2005 in the command of the Ministry of Justice of Russia. ... Yevgenia Markovna Albats (Russian: ; born 5 September 1958 [1] [2]) is a Russian investigative journalist, political scientist, writer, and radio host. ... Classified information is information to which access is restricted by law or corporate rules to particular hierarchical classes of people. ...

Description of Novichok agents

First description of these agents was provided by Mirzayanov ^[5]. According to the scientists, the Soviet program developed the third-generation nerve agent variant A-234, a simple unitary agent derived from acrylonitrile and a common organophosphate pesticide precursor^{[citation needed]}. Dispersed in an ultra-fine powder as opposed to a gas or a vapor, it has unique qualities. It can bypass much of the chemical protective gear used by most modern armies where it can be absorbed directly through the skin^{[citation needed]}. They then created a binary agent that would mimic the same properties, but be manufactured using materials legal under the CWT^[7] or undetectable by treaty regime inspections.^[8] Nerve agents (also known as nerve gases, though these chemicals are liquid at room temperature) are a class of phosphorus-containing organic chemicals (organophosphates) that disrupt the mechanism by which nerves transfer messages to organs. ... Acrylonitrile (CH2=CH-C≡N), is a pungent smelling, extremely flammable organic liquid. ... A cropduster spreading pesticide. ...

One of the key manufacturing sites was a chemical research institute in what is now Uzbekistan.^[8], and small, experimental batches of the weapons may have been tested on the nearby Ustyurt plateau.^[8] The Ustyurt Plateau, Ustyurt also spelled Ust-Urt and Usturt (Kazakh: Ãœstirt, Turkmen: Ãœstyurt), is a central Asian plateau in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, between the Aral Sea and the Caspian Sea. ...

Effects

As a nerve agent, Novichok belongs to organophosphate acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. These chemical compounds inhibit the enzyme acetycholinesterase, preventing the normal breakdown of neurotransmitter acetylcholine. However, unlike natural neurotransmitters, Novichok inhibits acetylcholinesterase irreversibly. Therefore, it does a permanent damage, even when given with an antidote. An organophosphate (sometimes abbreviated OP) is the general name for esters of phosphoric acid and is one of the organophosphorus compounds. ... A cholinesterase inhibitor or anticholinesterase is a chemical that inhibits a cholinesterase enzyme from breaking down acetylcholine, so increasing both the level and duration of action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. ... Acetylcholinesterase In biochemistry, cholinesterase is a term which refers to one of the two enzymes: Acetylcholinesterase (EC 3. ... Chemical structure of D-aspartic acid, a common amino acid neurotransmitter. ... The chemical compound acetylcholine, often abbreviated as ACh, was the first neurotransmitter to be identified. ... HIV protease in a complex with the protease inhibitor ritonavir. ... Irreversibility is that property of an event which makes reverting back to the state before the occurrence of the event impossible. ... An antidote is a substance which can counteract a form of poisoning. ...

In fiction

A Novichok binary nerve agent was used against the capital of Chechnya in the movie The Sum of All Fears. The Sum of All Fears is a 2002 film directed by Phil Alden Robinson, from a screenplay by Paul Attanasio and Tom Clancy, based on the book of the same name by Tom Clancy. ...

References

Yevgenia Markovna Albats (Russian: ; born 5 September 1958 [1] [2]) is a Russian investigative journalist, political scientist, writer, and radio host. ... Moskovskiye Novosti (in English: Moscow News) is a long-established weekly newspaper aimed at an educated, elite audience. ... Artyom Borovik Artyom Borovik (born September 13, 1960 - died March 9, 2000) was a prominenet Russian journalist and media magnate. ... Yevgenia Markovna Albats (Russian: ; born 5 September 1958 [1] [2]) is a Russian investigative journalist, political scientist, writer, and radio host. ... The Washington Post is the largest newspaper in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... BBC News is the department within the BBC responsible for the corporations news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Chemical Weapons in Russia: History, Ecology, Politics by Lev Fedorov, Moscow, Center of Ecological Policy of Russia, 27 July 1994
• Vil Mirzayanov "Dismantling the Soviet/Russian Chemical Weapons Complex: An Insider's View" Chemical Weapons Disarmament in Russia: Problems and Prospects (Washington, D.C.: Henry L. Stimson Center, 1995).
• Russian chemical weapons and [by [[Federation of American Scientists]
• Vil Mirzayanov, a scientist honored by the AAAS Science and Human Rights Program in 1995
• The Chemical Weapons Coverup, by J. Michael Waller, The Wall Street Journal, February 13, 1997
• http://www.nbcdefence.net/nore/novi_1.htm