Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was killed using a poison developed from a dart frog toxin, the UK and European allies have said. Two years on from Navalny's death in a Siberian penal colony, Britain and its allies have implicated the Kremlin after analysis of material samples taken from his body.
There is no innocent explanation for the presence of the toxin, called epibatidine, found in the samples, the UK Foreign Office stated. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper remarked at the Munich Security Conference that only the Russian government had the means, motive, and opportunity to deploy this lethal toxin against Navalny during his imprisonment.
A joint statement by the UK, Sweden, France, Germany, and the Netherlands asserted that 'only the Russian state had the means, motive, and opportunity' to target Navalny with the toxin. They further elucidated that epibatidine, a deadly neurotoxin, is naturally found in dart frogs indigenous to South America and does not exist in Russia.
Navalny, renowned for his staunch anti-corruption stance and opposition to President Vladimir Putin, died mysteriously at the age of 47 on February 16, 2024. He had spent three years in jail on dubious charges, a backdrop that casts a dark shadow over his sudden demise.
Cooper also met with Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, who claimed her husband was poisoned during his incarceration. This revelation has deepened calls for accountability and sparked discussions around the ramifications of political killings.
Reactions worldwide have praised Navalny's bravery, and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reaffirmed support for defending democratic values against threats from Russia. The Kremlin has yet to comment on these serious allegations.
There is no innocent explanation for the presence of the toxin, called epibatidine, found in the samples, the UK Foreign Office stated. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper remarked at the Munich Security Conference that only the Russian government had the means, motive, and opportunity to deploy this lethal toxin against Navalny during his imprisonment.
A joint statement by the UK, Sweden, France, Germany, and the Netherlands asserted that 'only the Russian state had the means, motive, and opportunity' to target Navalny with the toxin. They further elucidated that epibatidine, a deadly neurotoxin, is naturally found in dart frogs indigenous to South America and does not exist in Russia.
Navalny, renowned for his staunch anti-corruption stance and opposition to President Vladimir Putin, died mysteriously at the age of 47 on February 16, 2024. He had spent three years in jail on dubious charges, a backdrop that casts a dark shadow over his sudden demise.
Cooper also met with Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, who claimed her husband was poisoned during his incarceration. This revelation has deepened calls for accountability and sparked discussions around the ramifications of political killings.
Reactions worldwide have praised Navalny's bravery, and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reaffirmed support for defending democratic values against threats from Russia. The Kremlin has yet to comment on these serious allegations.
