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Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny probably poisoned, says German clinic Tests indicate Alexei Navalny was poisoned, says German clinic
(about 7 hours later)
Hospital says substance is not yet known, and Navalny is in serious condition Kremlin critic being treated with same antidote used after 2018 nerve agent attack in Salisbury
Tests indicate that Alexei Navalny was the victim of a poisoning, a German clinic has reported, in the first medical corroboration of an attempt on the Kremlin critic’s life. Tests indicate that Alexei Navalny was the victim of a poisoning and he is being treated with atropine, the same antidote used after the 2018 nerve agent attack in Salisbury, the German clinic where the Kremlin critic is a patient said on Monday.
While Berlin’s Charité hospital did not identify the specific poison responsible for Navalny’s sudden illness, the substance was part of a group that affects the central nervous system, and includes nerve agents and pesticides. While Berlin’s Charité hospital did not identify the specific poison responsible for Navalny’s sudden illness on an internal Russian flight last Thursday, the substance was part of a group that affects the central nervous system, and includes nerve agents and pesticides, as well as some drugs.
In a statement, the hospital said Navalny had fallen ill because of contamination from a cholinesterase inhibitor, adding that the specific substance was not known and analysis was ongoing. The statement was the first medical corroboration of a poisoning attack on Navalny and marked him as likely the latest Kremlin opponent to face an attempt on his life.
In a statement, the hospital said Navalny had fallen ill because of contamination from a cholinesterase inhibitor, adding that the specific substance was not known and analysis was ongoing. Cholinesterase inhibitors block an enzyme that is necessary for the proper function of the nervous system.
According to the clinic, Navalny is in serious condition but “there is currently no acute danger to his life”.According to the clinic, Navalny is in serious condition but “there is currently no acute danger to his life”.
“The outcome of the disease remains uncertain and long-term consequences, especially in the area of the nervous system, cannot be ruled out at this point in time,” the clinic said in a statement released online. It said in a statement released online: “Alexei Navalny’s prognosis remains unclear; the possibility of long-term effects, particularly those affecting the nervous system, cannot be excluded.”
The confirmation makes Navalny likely the latest Russian dissident to face a high-profile attempt on his life. Other attacks include the 2018 poisoning of Sergei Skripal with the nerve agent novichok, the 2015 shooting death of the opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, and the 2006 poisoning with a radioactive isotope of Alexander Litvinenko, an FSB defector. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a chemical and biological weapons expert, said the presence of high levels of cholinesterase suggested Navalny could have been poisoned with a nerve agent. “The levels show how much you have been exposed. It’s just a touch suspicious that someone vehemently opposed to the Russian state should fall ill in this way.”
Other high-profile attacks against Kremlin opponents and dissidents have included the 2018 poisoning of Sergei Skripal with the nerve agent novichok, the 2015 shooting death of the opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, and the 2006 poisoning with a radioactive isotope of Alexander Litvinenko, an FSB defector.
Following the statement, Leonid Volkov, a Navalny ally, quickly drew comparisons with the Salisbury poisoning: “The world’s most famous cholinesterase inhibitor is called novichok.”Following the statement, Leonid Volkov, a Navalny ally, quickly drew comparisons with the Salisbury poisoning: “The world’s most famous cholinesterase inhibitor is called novichok.”
Navalny was being treated with atropine, an antidote used to treat the victims of poisoning by nerve agents, the clinic said. Doctors in Salisbury had used the same antidote to save the lives of Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, after the 2018 attack with the nerve agent Novichok. Navalny was being treated with atropine, an antidote used to treat the victims of poisoning by nerve agents and pesticides, the clinic said. Doctors in Salisbury had used the same antidote to save the lives of Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, after the 2018 attack with the nerve agent novichok.
A hospital in the Russian city of Omsk had previously denied Navalny had been poisoned. On Monday, the hospital’s deputy chief doctor insisted that two laboratories had found no toxins or poisoning products in Navalny’s tests. A hospital in the Russian city of Omsk had previously denied that Navalny had been poisoned. On Monday, the hospital’s deputy chief doctor insisted that two laboratories had found no toxins or poisoning products in Navalny’s tests.
Supporters said doctors there were under government pressure to cover up any evidence of an attack against the opposition critic.Supporters said doctors there were under government pressure to cover up any evidence of an attack against the opposition critic.
“We were sure that Alexei had been poisoned … despite all the statements from Russian propaganda and doctors,” said Kira Yarmysh, a spokeswoman for Navalny, in a statement sent to the Guardian. “Now the poisoning has been confirmed. It is not a hypothesis anymore, it is a medical fact.” “We were sure that Alexei had been poisoned … despite all the statements from Russian propaganda and doctors,” said Kira Yarmysh, a spokeswoman for Navalny, in a statement sent to the Guardian. “Now the poisoning has been confirmed. It is not a hypothesis any more, it is a medical fact.”
Navalny was evacuated to Germany on Saturday after a direct plea from his wife to Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, to allow his transfer abroad, as well as public concerns expressed by the leaders of Germany, France and Finland. He had fallen ill during a flight in Russia last week.Navalny was evacuated to Germany on Saturday after a direct plea from his wife to Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, to allow his transfer abroad, as well as public concerns expressed by the leaders of Germany, France and Finland. He had fallen ill during a flight in Russia last week.
International leaders have voiced concern over the Russian opposition critic’s health and confirmation of his poisoning will likely prompt a wave of condemnation against the Kremlin. International leaders have voiced concern over the Russian opposition critic’s health and confirmation of his poisoning will likely prompt a wave of condemnation of the Kremlin.
US ambassador to Moscow, John Sullivan, told journalists earlier on Monday that confirmation of Navalny’s poisoning would “represent a crucial moment for Russia”. The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, called in a statement on Monday evening for Russia to investigate the poisoning and hold the perpetrators to account. “Those responsible must be found and brought to justice,” she said.
Deputy secretary of state Stephen Biegun was due to arrive in Russia on Tuesday as part of a tour through the region that would also include discussions on the Belarus crisis. The US ambassador to Moscow, John Sullivan, told journalists earlier on Monday that confirmation of Navalny’s poisoning would “represent a crucial moment for Russia”.
“The Russian people deserve to see that anybody who would have been involved in a matter like that is held accountable,” he said. “If Navalny had been poisoned this is a very significant for the United States.” The deputy secretary of state, Stephen Biegun, was due to arrive in Russia on Tuesday as part of a tour through the region that would also include discussions of the Belarus crisis. “The Russian people deserve to see that anybody who would have been involved in a matter like that is held accountable,” he said. “If Navalny had been poisoned, this is very significant for the United States.”
Supporters have said that they believe the Kremlin is behind the attack. Lyubov Sobol, a Navalny ally whose husband was stabbed with a syringe in a 2016 attack that sent him into convulsions, told the Guardian that similar attacks were the “hallmark of the Kremlin”. She and others said that they believed that such an attack could only be authorised by a senior Russian official with Putin’s knowledge.Supporters have said that they believe the Kremlin is behind the attack. Lyubov Sobol, a Navalny ally whose husband was stabbed with a syringe in a 2016 attack that sent him into convulsions, told the Guardian that similar attacks were the “hallmark of the Kremlin”. She and others said that they believed that such an attack could only be authorised by a senior Russian official with Putin’s knowledge.
The German government has said Navalny requires police protection because of a “certain likelihood” he was poisoned, a spokesman has said. Security has been increased at the Charité hospital complex. The German government said earlier on Monday that Navalny required police protection because of a “certain likelihood” he was poisoned, a spokesman has said.
“Because one can assume with a certain likelihood that we are dealing with a poison attack, protection is essential,” Steffen Seibert, the spokesman for the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, told a press conference on Monday morning.
Security has been increased at the Charité hospital complex.
“The suspicion is not that Mr Navalny poisoned himself but that someone poisoned Mr Navalny, and there are unfortunately one or two examples of such poisonings in recent Russian history,” Seibert said.
The hospital said Navalny was undergoing extensive testing and it would take some time for the results to be known.
An aide told the Guardian on Sunday Navalny was in stable condition and remained unconscious.
The German foreign minister, Heiko Maas, was cautious in his remarks about the case on Monday.
“I belong to those who base their assessments on facts,” Maas said on a visit to Kyiv. “In the Navalny case we are still lacking too many facts – medical but also criminological – and we will need to wait for those to emerge.”
The opposition leader was transported in an isolation pod often used for coronavirus patients owing to concerns that whatever caused his sudden illness could place medical staff or the air crew at risk.The opposition leader was transported in an isolation pod often used for coronavirus patients owing to concerns that whatever caused his sudden illness could place medical staff or the air crew at risk.
Supporters suspect he may have been targeted with poisoned tea before boarding a flight last week to Moscow and losing consciousness soon after takeoff. Supporters suspect that he may have been targeted with poisoned tea before boarding a flight last week to Moscow. He lost consciousness soon after takeoff.
On Monday, Yarmysh, the aide to Navalny, said that three days after filing a complaint with Tomsk police a criminal case had still not been opened for the suspected attack. On Monday, Yarmysh, the aide to Navalny, said that three days after filing a complaint with Tomsk police, a criminal case still had not been opened into the suspected attack.
Doctors in the Siberian city of Omsk, where the flight made an emergency landing, have said they do not believe Navalny was poisoned.
At a press conference on Monday, Alexander Murakhovsky, the head doctor of Omsk’s emergency hospital No 1, said: “We treated that patient and we rescued him. There was no interference in the treatment of the patient and there could not be any.”
Navalny’s supporters also claimed he was under surveillance during his trip to Siberia. A newspaper article citing police sources detailed extensive government surveillance of Navalny before he fell ill.Navalny’s supporters also claimed he was under surveillance during his trip to Siberia. A newspaper article citing police sources detailed extensive government surveillance of Navalny before he fell ill.
According to the article, police identified the apartment where Navalny was staying by tracking a sushi delivery to an associate, collected his receipts from a local store, and even followed him during a short trip out of town for an evening swim in the Tom River.According to the article, police identified the apartment where Navalny was staying by tracking a sushi delivery to an associate, collected his receipts from a local store, and even followed him during a short trip out of town for an evening swim in the Tom River.
On Monday, the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, neither confirmed nor denied Navalny was being watched by the security services. “All I can do in this case is refer your question to the security services,” he told journalists. On Monday, the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, would neither confirm or deny that Navalny was being watched by the security services. “All I can do in this case is refer your question to the security services,” he told journalists.
“Clearly, operational and investigative activities in regard to particular individuals cannot and should not be coordinated with any agencies, especially the presidential administration. This is the prerogative of the security services. The only way to verify the credibility of this information is to ask them.”