Russia: Germany has provided no proof of poisoning
President Vladimir MOSCOW— Putin’s spokesman brushedoffallegationsThursday that the Kremlin was involved in poisoning the Russian leader’s most determined critic, accusing Germany of not providingMoscowwith any evidence about the condition of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny.
Navalny, a politician and corruption investigator, fell ill on a flight to Moscow on Aug. 20 and was taken to a hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk. He has been in an inducedcomain aBerlinhospital after being flown from Siberia toGermany for treatmentmore than aweek ago.
German authorities said Wednesdaythat tests showed “proof without doubt” that he had been poisoned with a chemical nerve agent from the Novichok group. British authoritiesidentifiedtheSovietas the poison used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England in 2018.
But Kremlin spokesman DmitryPeskovinsistedThursday that Russian authorities still had not received any evidence fromGermany toback up their allegation.
“We haven’t received any information so far,” Peskov said. “We hope that it will happen soon and will help figure out what caused the condition the patient is in right now.”
Peskov reiteratedthatRussianspecialistsinOmsktested Navalny for poisonous substances and didn’t find any in his system. He said Russian investigators conducting apreliminary inquiry into Navalny’sillnessshouldknow “whatourGermancolleagues found and established.”
Followinghis stay inOmsk, Navalnywasmovedtwodays later to Berlin’s Charite hospital after German Chancellor AngelaMerkel personally offered the country’s assistance in treating him. He’s nowin stable condition, but doctors expect a long recovery and haven’t ruled out that the 44-year-oldNavalny could face long-term effects to his health.
Merkel on Wednesday called Navalny’s poisoning an attempted murder that aimedtosilenceoneofPutin’s fiercest critics and called for a full investigation.
“There are very serious questions nowthat only the Russian government can answer, and must answer,” Merkel said.
AskedaboutPeskov’scomments on Thursday, Merkel said,“Naturally Iamawareof what is being said now,” but refused to comment further.
Germany’s Justice Ministry has confirmed they have received Russia’s request for information, but would not provide details.
Leonid Volkov, Navalny’s longtime ally and campaign strategist, told the German RTL broadcaster Thursday that an independent investigation in Russia is unlikely and put the blame in the Kremlin.
“An attack of such level and of such coordination couldn’t be not authorized by Mr. Putin,” Volkov said.
Volkov said he did not know what legal consequences should be for what happened to Navalny. “But I know for sure what I want to have as an outcome, and this is the political or a moral, ethical consequence: I really want that no foreign leader everwould shake hands with Mr. Putin,” he said.