Russia Poisoned Navalny With Exotic Frog Toxin, European Countries Say

"Russia claimed that Navalny died of natural causes. 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. these latest findings once again underline the need to hold Russia accountable for its repeated violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention and, in this instance, the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention."

"I was certain from the first day that my husband had been poisoned, but now there is proof: Putin killed Aleksei with a chemical weapon. I am grateful to the European states for the meticulous work they carried out [for] over two years and for uncovering the truth. Vladimir Putin is a murderer. He must be held accountable for all his crimes."

Five European governments concluded that Aleksei Navalny was poisoned with epibatidine, a lethal toxin not found naturally in Russia. Analyses of smuggled biological samples confirmed the presence of epibatidine, a toxin derived from South American poison dart frogs that can cause paralysis and respiratory arrest. The governments noted that Navalny died while imprisoned and that poisoning was highly likely given the toxin's toxicity and reported symptoms. The statement called for holding Russia accountable for violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. Navalny's widow publicly accused Vladimir Putin of murder, said samples proved poisoning, and rejected the Russian autopsy.

Read at RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty