An analysis of samples from deceased Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny shows he was likely fatally poisoned in a Russian prison, according to multiple European governments.
In a joint statement, the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands said they are confident Navalny was poisoned. Samples from Navalny “conclusively confirmed the presence of epibatidine,” a toxin found in poison dart frogs in South America, according to the statement.
“Russia claimed that Navalny died of natural causes,” the countries said. “But given the toxicity of epibatidine and reported symptoms, poisoning was highly likely the cause of his death. Navalny died while held in prison, meaning Russia had the means, motive and opportunity to administer this poison to him.”
Navalny crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests before being sentenced to 19 years in an Arctic penal colony.
