Nerve Agent Attack on Russian Opposition Leader Navalny Germany, France, European Union, NATO, Severe Condemnation

The German government confirmed that Russian opposition leader Navalny was poisoned with a military nerve agent. France, the European Union and NATO have condemned the attack, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded that Russia “explain” the poisoning.

AFP news agency, Russia’s opposition leader, Navalny, was transferred to a Berlin hospital for treatment after falling into a coma following a suspected poisoning in Russia. A German government spokesman said Wednesday that Navalny was poisoned by a Soviet-era “Novichok military neurotoxin,” which is a German military laboratory that has undergone in-depth testing. This was the medical result of in-depth tests conducted by a German military laboratory.

The Novichok nerve agent was used two years ago to poison a Russian double agent and his daughter, a defector living in Britain. The incident had caused tensions between Britain and Russia.

Navalny, 44, fell ill on a flight from Tomsk, Siberia, to Moscow and was transferred to a hospital in Berlin, Germany, for treatment. Novichok is the name of a series of deadly nerve agents developed by the Soviet military in the 1970s and 1980s.

The German government’s statement that Navalny had been the victim of a chemical nerve agent attack in Russia was a shocking event. The German government condemns the attack in the strongest possible terms.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a statement to the media on Wednesday that the test results show that Navalny was undoubtedly the victim of a criminal act “aimed at silencing him”. The actions against Navalny run counter to the basic human rights values we defend, Merkel said. Only the Russian government must answer,” Merkel said.

France on Wednesday also condemned the attack on the Russian opposition leader with a chemical nerve agent. In a communiqué, French Foreign Minister Jean-Pierre Le Drian condemned in the strongest possible terms this shocking and irresponsible act. Mr. Le Drian said that Russia must clarify the serious suspicions and take responsibility.

The European Union and NATO also issued strongly worded statements condemning the poisoning of Russian opposition leaders with a chemical nerve agent. European Commission President Von der Leyen tweeted that those responsible for the poisoning must be brought to justice. EU High Representative for External Relations and Security Policy Borrell said that the use of the chemical agent was completely unacceptable and in violation of international law.