Alexei Navalny Fell Ill After Drinking From 'Poisonous' Water Bottle in His Hotel Room, Say Russian Opposition Leader's Aides
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was "poisoned" after he consumed water from bottles that were in his hotel room in Siberia, his team claimed.
Berlin, September 17: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was "poisoned" after he consumed water from bottles that were in his hotel room in Siberia, his team claimed on Instagram on Thursday. Alexei Navalny, a staunch critic of Russia's President Vladimir Putin, fell ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow last month. "Now we understand: It was done before he left his room to reach the airport," a post on his Instagram account says. Who Is Alexei Navalny? Profile of 'Poisoned' Russian Opposition Leader Known For Fierce Criticism of Vladimir Putin.
Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh had earlier claimed that he could have been poisoned, speculating that something might have been mixed with the tea he had at the Tomsk airport before boarding. CCTV footage from the airport, however, showed that he received the cup of tea from his aide Ilya Pakhomov, indicating none of those who prepared the beverage knew for whom it was made.
Earlier this week, Germany said there is "unequivocal proof" that Navalny was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent. Navalny's team on Thursday shared a video on his Instagram account showing his people collecting evidence from his hotel room in Siberia. Several empty water bottles can be seen in the video. "It is precisely on the bottle from the Tomsk hotel room that a German laboratory found traces of Novichok," his team said.
What Happened to Alexei Navalny?
Alexei Navalny was onboard a Moscow-bound flight on August 20 when he collapsed. His plane made an emergency landing in Omsk, Siberia. He was initially treated at Omsk Emergency Hospital where doctors said no traces of poison were found in his blood and urine samples. Two days later, Navalny was airlifted to Berlin as his team did not trust the Russian authorities. German Chancellor Angela Merkel on September 3 said Navalny was a victim of attempted murder and the world would look to Russia for answers. His team says he was poisoned on President Vladimir Putin's orders. The Kremlin has dismissed the allegation.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 17, 2020 04:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).