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Five European nations have declared that Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny was poisoned by the Kremlin using a rare and lethal toxin, epibatidine, typically found in the skin of poison dart frogs. This revelation comes following the analysis of samples from Navalny’s body, conducted in laboratories across the UK, France, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
The foreign ministries of these countries confirmed that the presence of the neurotoxin, which is indigenous to South America and not naturally occurring in Russia, was conclusively detected. This finding strongly suggests the involvement of external sources in the poisoning incident.
In a joint statement, the nations emphasized that “Russia had the means, motive, and opportunity to administer this poison.” This statement underscores their belief in Russia’s culpability in the matter.
In response to these findings, the group of five intends to report Russia to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, citing a breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention. As of now, the organisation has not issued any immediate comments regarding the report.
The five countries said they were reporting Russia to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for a breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention. There was no immediate comment from the organisation.
Navalny, who crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests as President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest foe, died in an Arctic penal colony on February 16, 2024, while serving a 19-year sentence that he believed to be politically motivated.
“Russia saw Navalny as a threat,” British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said.
“By using this form of poison the Russian state demonstrated the despicable tools it has at its disposal and the overwhelming fear it has of political opposition.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot wrote on X that the poisoning of Navalny shows “that Vladimir Putin is prepared to use biological weapons against his own people in order to remain in power”.
The European nations’ assessment on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) came as Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, attended the Munich Security Conference in Germany, and just before the second anniversary of his death.
She said last year that two independent labs had found that her husband was poisoned shortly before he died. She has repeatedly blamed Putin for her husband’s death.
Russian officials have vehemently denied the accusation.
Navalnaya said on Saturday that she had been “certain from the first day” that her husband had been poisoned, “but now there is proof”.
“Putin killed Alexei with chemical weapon,” she wrote on She said Putin was “a murderer” who “must be held accountable”.
Russian authorities said that the politician became ill after a walk and died from natural causes.
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