Putin critic Navalny was poisoned with Novichok nerve agent, Merkel says

By Joseph Nasr and Andrew Osborn

 

FILE PHOTO: Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny takes part in a rally to mark the 5th anniversary of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov's murder and to protest against proposed amendments to the country's constitution, in Moscow, Russia February 29, 2020. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov/File Photo

 

BERLIN/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who is in intensive care in a Berlin hospital, was poisoned with a Soviet-style Novichok nerve agent in an attempt to murder him, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday.

 

She said Berlin now expected Moscow to explain itself and that Germany would consult its NATO allies about how to respond, raising the prospect of new Western sanctions on Russia, sending Russian asset prices tumbling.

 

Moscow has denied involvement in the incident and the Russian foreign ministry said Germany's assertion was not backed by evidence, complaining about the way Germany had chosen to release information about Navalny.

 

"This is disturbing information about the attempted murder through poisoning against a leading Russian opposition figure," Merkel told a news conference. "Alexei Navalny was the victim of an attack with a chemical nerve agent of the Novichok group."

 

Novichok is the same substance that Britain said was used against a Russian double agent and his daughter in an attack in England in 2018. The deadly group of nerve agents was developed by the Soviet military in the 1970s and 1980s.

 

Navalny, 44, is an outspoken opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has specialised in high-impact investigations into official corruption. He was airlifted to Germany last month after collapsing on a domestic Russian flight after drinking a cup of tea that his allies said was poisoned.

 

The White House said the use of Novichok was "completely reprehensible," with the U.S. National Security Council saying on Twitter that Washington would work with allies "to hold those in Russia accountable, wherever the evidence leads, and restrict funds for their malign activities."

 

A U.S. government source familiar with U.S. intelligence reporting and analysis said the use of the Novichok family of nerve agents showed Putin was willing to be "bold" in targeting individuals he found threatening or irritating.

 

He described the attack as an assertion by the Russian leader that he is the boss and what he says goes.

 

The Kremlin, which has rejected any suggestion that it or the Russian state was involved, said it wanted a full exchange of information and that Germany and Russia should cooperate. But it added it was unable yet to give a proper statement about the German findings.

 

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the foreign ministry, told state TV that the German move looked like another fact-free information campaign against Russia.

 

Russian authorities and doctors have said previously they could find no evidence Navalny was poisoned.

 

Russia is already under Western sanctions after its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine six years ago. Another standoff with European nations or the United States may further hurt its economy further.

 

Britain and France joined in condemning the use of Novichok, along with the European Union, which said those responsible must be brought to justice.

 

A critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin being treated in Berlin was poisoned with a Soviet-style Novichok nerve agent, a German government spokesman said on Wednesday. Edward Baran reports.

 

NAVALNY IN SERIOUS CONDITION

Berlin's Charite hospital, which is treating Navalny, said he remained in a serious condition in an intensive care unit connected to an artificial lung ventilator even though some of his symptoms were receding.

 

It said it could not rule out long-term consequences from his poisoning and that it expected him to go through a long period of illness.

 

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said in a tweet that the German government's identification of the Novichok poison indicated Russian authorities were behind Navalny's poisoning.

 

Allies of Navalny echoed Linkevicius' view. Leonid Volkov, a Navalny aide, said on Twitter that the use of Novichok was like leaving Putin's signature at the scene of the crime.

 

Ivan Zhdanov, another close Navalny ally, said on Twitter that Novichok could be administered only by Russia's intelligence agencies.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas urged Russia to investigate Navalny's poisoning now that clinical tests had shown he had been attacked with a chemical nerve agent.

 

"This makes it all the more urgent that those responsible in Russia be identified and held accountable," Maas told reporters. "We condemn this attack in the strongest terms."

 

Steffen Seibert, a German government spokesman, said earlier in an emailed statement that tests conducted at a German military laboratory had produced "unequivocal evidence" that Novichok had been used.

 

Britain says Russia used Novichok to poison former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the British city of Salisbury in 2018. Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attack, which the Skripals survived. A member of the public, 44-year-old Dawn Sturgess, was killed.

 

(Reporting by Joseph Nasr and Andrew Osborn; Additional reporting by Paul Carrel and Michael Nienaber in Berlin, Andrius Sytas in Vilnius, Maria Vasilyeva, Vladimir Soldatkin and Tom Balmforth in Moscow, Mark Hosenball and Jonathan Landay in Washington and William James in London; Editing by Kevin Liffey, Timothy Heritage and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-09-03

 

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Is anyone shocked or surprised by finding poison?  I think we would be more shocked if they found none...????

No surprise there 

Putin don't care, poison, invade, assassinate, all fair game to him.

Edited September 2, 20206 yr by tribalfusion001

This is Russia the go to poison, they have used it before with good results so why switch now?...

Yet still the Russians love Putin and let him change their laws to become a dictator for life, who'd want to be a reporter or an opposition politician in that country.  Bet they can't get life insurance that's for sure.

That´s how Russia deals with people they do not find acceptable. Not much better than North Korea, but still they have people that likes them.

Et tu, Merkel?

Edited September 3, 20206 yr by Jack Mountain

45 minutes ago, trevoromgh said:

Yet still the Russians love Putin and let him change their laws to become a dictator for life

Make enough rich people even more rich and they will support you forever.

Have you seen these men?! 

 

They have poisoned with Novichok, in Salisbury United Kingdom. Second time offenders? Please contact Interpol if you do.

 

 

 

Edited September 3, 20206 yr by LomSak27

As screwed up as some of our Western countries are, I see stuff like this and I'm grateful not to have been born into some of these lawless atrocities of civilization.

1 hour ago, LomSak27 said:

Have you seen these men?! 

 

They have poisoned with Novichok, in Salisbury United Kingdom. Second time offenders? Please contact Interpol if you do.

 

 

 

Which beautiful cathedral were they visiting this time?

When are they going to learn, novichok isn't as effective as polonium?

2 hours ago, Matzzon said:

That´s how Russia deals with people they do not find acceptable. Not much better than North Korea, but still they have people that likes them.

Yes Merkel does ,she was born a communist and loves Putin.

Wells is the most beautiful cathedral. It is called Wells 'cos the pond has 7 wells but I could see only one. It also has a very old clock still running but now fitted with an electric motor. It uses the Julian callendar and so there are no months only phases of the moon.

How many regime critics in China just disappear on a daily basis and nobody knows and talks about it ?

Russians become sloppy...

In a large White House white house on Pennsylvania Avenue an orange-faced person sighs with envy....

 

 

4 hours ago, LomSak27 said:

Have you seen these men?! 

 

They have poisoned with Novichok, in Salisbury United Kingdom. Second time offenders? Please contact Interpol if you do.

"We are not assassins.  We are gay couple come to Salisbury for buy famous dishes!"

 

 

Putin is just playing his version of what Rudyard Kipling called “The Great Game” Famous book by Peter Hopkirk about how it all began; some of the players had grisly ends.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Game-Secret-Service-High-ebook/dp/B003Y3BLNK/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Peter+hopkirk&qid=1599109551&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

 

Bad borscht? 

This is not surprising. Nor is it surprising that Trump once again has refused to condemn Putin. Not when it came out Russia was offering bounties on U.S. troops. Not two months ago when his own DHS suppressed a warning that Russia was targeting Biden. That memo was inexplicably withheld while Trump amplified the same exact message. No condemnation for interfering in our election again. Trump won't stand up to Putin. Not now, not ever. The reason for that is obvious.

3 hours ago, bert bloggs said:

Yes Merkel does ,she was born a communist and loves Putin.

 

And yet, the guy was transferred to Germany, of all places, in order to be treated. Go figure. It may come as a shock, so brace yourself, but newborn aren't actually indoctrinated party members. Other than in right wingers fantasies, perhaps. Don't know that Merkel loves Putin, you might be better informed on such gossip stuff. From what I recall she's not keen on his dog, though.

9 hours ago, webfact said:

 Novichok could be administered only by Russia's intelligence agencies.

Is that 100% sure ? Couldn't Novichok be Made  Somewhere else?  /Sold ?/stolen? .

They're quick to point the Finger /Syringe to bad Boy Putin. 

Where's the Evidence?

46 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Is that 100% sure ? Couldn't Novichok be Made  Somewhere else?  /Sold ?/stolen? .

They're quick to point the Finger /Syringe to bad Boy Putin. 

Where's the Evidence?

Maybe the following incidents may explain our readiness to point the finger  list of victims

Putin has a lot of supporters in the West. He has bought them with cash.

Edited September 3, 20206 yr by Zikomat

3 hours ago, trevoromgh said:

Maybe the following incidents may explain our readiness to point the finger  list of victims

Makes No difference ,,,,, No evidence,,,,,,,

And yet president scofflaw can’t bring himself to condemn this attempted murder go figure.............

first question should be:
who will profit from this ?
answer............
I do not think this is what the Russion governement wants. They know exactly, how "the west" will react.
second:
where are the prove, that the Russion government ordered this?
answer ....
no prove !
next:
who is able to do this?
answer ...
yes, all big secret agencies
(you name them ...)

whats next Propaganda scam ...?

Did you read the 'List of victims' webpage or are you just a serial conspiracy theorist.

Troll post reported and removed.