Vladimir Putin’s critic, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is finally out of a coma after being rushed to the hospital for alleged poisoning.
Multiple publications confirm that Alexei Navalny is out from being in a medically induced coma. As previously reported, the opposition leader was suspected to be poisoned late in August during his travel from the Siberian city of Tomsk and back to Moscow.
There have been wild suspicions as to where the 44-year-old could’ve gotten poisoned. The German medical team behind Navalny’s recovery has confirmed the substance that made him severely ill instantly.
This new development helps turn down the rumors that Navalny’s condition was allegedly caused by a hangover pill, after intensively drinking the night before the incident. Although, Anti-Corruption Foundation press secretary Kira Yarmysh has since denied that narrative.
Alexei Navalny current condition
According to The New York Times, Alexei Navalny is being treated at Charité hospital in Berlin. On Monday, his doctors confirmed that he is finally out of medically induced coma and is responsive to stimuli.
According to a hospital statement, Navalny is “responsive to verbal stimuli.” However, the long-term effects of the incident are yet to be determined.
The hospital further stated:
“It remains too early to gauge the potential long-term effects of his severe poisoning.”
1/2 🇬🇧 The condition of Alexei #Navalny has improved. The patient has been removed from his medically induced coma and is being weaned off mechanical ventilation. He is responding to verbal stimuli.
— Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (@ChariteBerlin) September 7, 2020
The poison that almost killed Alexei Navalny
Accordingly, it was found out that the poison was from a “Novichok family of substances.” It was determined by the German Army’s chemical weapons specialists.
In a previous report by The New York Times, the doctors suspected something far more dangerous. To the point that they needed the assistance of the government army to help identify the substance that almost killed Alexei Navalny.
As it turns out, the poison was a nerve agent “nerve agent from the same class used in a 2018 attack in Britain on an ex-Soviet spy.” The same publication reports that Russia is known for using poison in taking people through assassination.
The Novichok agent is one of its known materials used.
Kremlin spox #Peskov: The attempts to somehow associate Russia or the Russian leadership with what has happened to Alexei Navalny are unacceptable to us and essentially absurd. pic.twitter.com/qDx9oZQKk4
— Russian Embassy, UK (@RussianEmbassy) September 7, 2020
German government demanding explanation from Russia
The German authorities are now seeking accountability from Russia. However, it appears that the Kremlin has no plans to provide an explanation.
They are keen on arguing that no proof has been shown yet that Navalny was indeed poisoned. Russian officials exert that the German doctors are yet to share more details to prove Navalny’s poisoning.
1/2 Today the UK summoned Russia’s Ambassador to the UK to register deep concern about the poisoning of Alexey @Navalny. It’s completely unacceptable that a banned chemical weapon has been used and Russia must hold a full, transparent investigation
— Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) September 7, 2020
The British government has also expressed its opinion on this matter. Stating that London finds this incident as “absolutely unacceptable.” NPR reports that the First Secretary of State in the United Kingdom, Dominic Raab, strongly believes that “Russia must hold a full, transparent investigation.”
Featured image courtesy of Dolgikh Pavel/Shutterstock