European governments have directly blamed the Kremlin for the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, saying new evidence shows he was poisoned while in custody.
In a joint statement issued on Saturday, the foreign ministries of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands said toxicology findings indicated the presence of epibatidine, a highly lethal toxin. The statement was released two days before the second anniversary of Navalny’s death.
According to the governments, the substance “highly likely resulted in his death”. They added that only the Russian state had the “means, motive and opportunity” to deploy such a toxin inside a tightly controlled penal colony, where Navalny was being held.
What is epibatidine?
Epibatidine is a rare and extremely toxic alkaloid found in the skin of a South American poison dart frog, Epipedobates tricolor. Identified in the 1970s and fully characterised in the early 1990s, the compound is known for its powerful effects on the nervous system.
While it has been studied for potential medical use because of its pain-relieving properties — far stronger than morphine — its high toxicity makes it dangerous and unsuitable for clinical use.
Who was Alexei Navalny?
Alexei Navalny, one of President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent critics, died on February 16, 2024, at the age of 47 in a remote Arctic penal colony. At the time, he was serving a 19-year sentence on charges widely described by Western governments and rights groups as politically motivated.
The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement, saying Navalny died of natural causes.
The latest accusations are likely to further strain already tense relations between Russia and Western capitals, as the case continues to remain a major point of international contention.