Five European nations have jointly declared Russia responsible for the poisoning death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, presenting what they describe as conclusive scientific evidence. The coordinated statement from Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, and Netherlands confirms that analysis of bodily samples from Navalny’s remains definitively identified epibatidine—a potent toxin derived from South American poison dart frogs that does not naturally occur in Russia.
The announcement comes precisely two years after Navalny’s controversial death in an Arctic penal colony where he was serving sentences on extremism charges that he consistently denied. European officials stated that Moscow possessed “the means, motive, and opportunity” to administer the lethal substance given that Navalny died under state custody.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized that UK scientists collaborated with European partners to uncover the truth, though officials declined to specify how the bodily samples were obtained or where testing occurred. The findings align with previous patterns of Russian chemical weapons use, including the 2018 Novichok attack on former double agent Sergei Skripal in Britain, which a public inquiry concluded was ordered by President Vladimir Putin.
The revelation emerged during the Munich Security Conference, where Navalny’s widow Yulia Navalnaya addressed attendees virtually, expressing gratitude for the multinational investigation. “I was certain from day one that my husband was poisoned, but now we have evidence,” she stated via social media, calling for accountability from Russian leadership.
European capitals witnessed memorial gatherings and protests following the announcement, with demonstrators in London, Berlin, Vilnius, and Rome condemning the Kremlin and demanding justice. The joint statement emphasized that Russia’s actions violate both the Chemical Weapons Convention and Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, underscoring the urgent need for international accountability mechanisms.