Russia rejects European accusations of poisoning Navalny: Details of the investigation
The Kremlin on Monday categorically rejected the findings of a joint investigation by five European countries, which concluded that prominent Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny died after being exposed to a rare toxic substance while in Siberian prison two years ago. Moscow described the accusations as "baseless," in a new escalation of diplomatic tensions between Russia and the West.
The Kremlin questions the credibility of the European investigation
Commenting on the report issued by Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated during his daily press briefing: "We do not accept such accusations. We disagree with them entirely and consider them biased and not based on any concrete facts." This Russian rejection comes in response to the statements published by the five countries on Saturday, which were based on intelligence and medical investigations and analyses that claimed Navalny's death was not premeditated.
Background to the event: Navalny's journey and the fierce opposition
Alexei Navalny, known as one of the fiercest critics of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin's policies, died in his Arctic prison on February 16, 2024, at the age of 47. Navalny had been serving a lengthy prison sentence on charges that he and his supporters considered politically motivated and aimed at silencing his anti-corruption voice.
These new accusations are reminiscent of Navalny's previous poisoning in 2020 with Novichok, a nerve agent developed in the Soviet era. At that time, Navalny was transferred to Germany for treatment while in a coma, before deciding to return to Russia in early 2021, where he was arrested upon arrival at the airport, a move that sparked widespread international condemnation.
Family demands for justice
The Russian statements coincided with the second anniversary of Navalny's death, during which his mother, Lyudmila Navalnya , visited his grave at the Borisovskoye Cemetery in Moscow. In a moving statement, Lyudmila said, "This European conclusion confirms what we knew from the beginning. We knew that my son did not simply die in prison, but was assassinated." The mother of the late opposition figure called on the international community to continue pressing for justice and a full investigation into the circumstances of his death.
Political and international repercussions
This European report and Russia's rejection of it are expected to deepen the rift between Moscow and Western capitals. The Navalny case has long been a major point of contention in Russian-European relations, with EU countries and the US previously imposing sanctions on Russian officials in connection with his imprisonment and initial poisoning. Observers suggest that raising the issue of the "rare toxic substance" again could open the door to a new wave of reciprocal diplomatic measures, further complicating an already tense geopolitical landscape due to the war in Ukraine and shifting strategic alliances in the region.
