Two more laboratories in France and Sweden have independently confirmed that Russian opposition leader Navalny, a persistent critic of the Kremlin, was poisoned with the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok, the German government said Monday (Sept. 14).
Together with the German laboratory analysis, three independent laboratories have now confirmed how Navalny was poisoned, German government spokesman Jean-Pierre Seibert told reporters at a press briefing in Berlin. “All the indications are absolutely clear that a poisoning scenario took place in Russia,”
Now that three independent laboratories have confirmed the results, the Russian side must announce the results itself,” Seibert said. Because Navalny was treated in Russia for 48 hours before being transferred, the Russian side has the same samples as the other labs.”
Russia has denied involvement in the poisoning and has accused the West of launching a smear campaign.
Navalny, 44, fell ill while on a domestic Russian flight on Aug. 20, and was transferred to Germany two days later to receive specialist treatment at Berlin’s Charité Hospital. Berlin has asked Russia to investigate the case. Navalny was in a drug-induced artificial coma for more than a week while being treated with an antidote. A week ago, the hospital administrator said that his condition had improved enough that he had been released from the artificial coma.
Doctors cautioned that while he recovered well, long-term adverse effects could not be ruled out.
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