Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

World

Kremlin accuses Navalny aides of removing potential evidence

-

The Kremlin on Friday said Russia's ability to probe opposition politician Alexei Navalny's suspected poisoning was "limited" and accused his aides of taking potential evidence out of the country.

Members of Navalny's team said Thursday that German experts found Novichok, a Soviet-designed nerve agent, on a water bottle taken from the Siberian hotel room where the Kremlin foe stayed before being taken ill last month.

The bottle appears to have been key evidence for Germany's conclusion that the 44-year-old outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin was poisoned with the banned chemical weapon.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday reiterated complaints that Moscow's hands were tied because Germany has not yet shared its findings with Russia and accused Navalny's aides of removing potential evidence.

"Unfortunately, our abilities to genuinely conduct an investigation are rather limited," Peskov told reporters.

"The bottle -- if it existed -- has been taken somewhere, to Germany or some other place," he said. "What could have become a piece of evidence proving poisoning has unfortunately been taken out.

Another question is why."

But he also cast doubt on Germany's findings, saying it would not be possible to take a bottle with traces of a nerve agent out of the country because that person would simply "have no time" to do that due to the toxicity of the substance.

Navalny's team collected the bottle and other items from his room straight after hearing he had been taken ill on August 20.

The team said it was obvious that the Russian leadership would not be interested in conducting a proper probe.

Russia has dismissed "unsubstantiated claims" over the incident and said its doctors found no trace of toxins.

Navalny is being treated in a hospital in Berlin and on Tuesday said he was breathing for the first time without medical support.

The Kremlin on Friday said Russia’s ability to probe opposition politician Alexei Navalny’s suspected poisoning was “limited” and accused his aides of taking potential evidence out of the country.

Members of Navalny’s team said Thursday that German experts found Novichok, a Soviet-designed nerve agent, on a water bottle taken from the Siberian hotel room where the Kremlin foe stayed before being taken ill last month.

The bottle appears to have been key evidence for Germany’s conclusion that the 44-year-old outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin was poisoned with the banned chemical weapon.

Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday reiterated complaints that Moscow’s hands were tied because Germany has not yet shared its findings with Russia and accused Navalny’s aides of removing potential evidence.

“Unfortunately, our abilities to genuinely conduct an investigation are rather limited,” Peskov told reporters.

“The bottle — if it existed — has been taken somewhere, to Germany or some other place,” he said. “What could have become a piece of evidence proving poisoning has unfortunately been taken out.

Another question is why.”

But he also cast doubt on Germany’s findings, saying it would not be possible to take a bottle with traces of a nerve agent out of the country because that person would simply “have no time” to do that due to the toxicity of the substance.

Navalny’s team collected the bottle and other items from his room straight after hearing he had been taken ill on August 20.

The team said it was obvious that the Russian leadership would not be interested in conducting a proper probe.

Russia has dismissed “unsubstantiated claims” over the incident and said its doctors found no trace of toxins.

Navalny is being treated in a hospital in Berlin and on Tuesday said he was breathing for the first time without medical support.

AFP
Written By

With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

You may also like:

Business

The head of the World Health Organization insisted it was "now or never" to strike a landmark global accord on tackling future pandemics.

Life

The “No Buy 2025” challenge has garnered thousands of posts on TikTok with many people sharing their personal rules for buying less.

Entertainment

Kiana Kaye spoke about starring in the new short film "Ride or Die," which was written and directed by Joshua Shultz, and being a...

Tech & Science

Mexico will take Google to court if it insists on changing the Gulf of Mexico's name to "Gulf of America" for Maps.