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The Russian government reacts negatively to the German government’s conclusions about the poison attack on Kremlin critic Alexej Navalny. “There is no reason to blame the Russian state,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He warned the West against hasty conclusions and the imposition of sanctions: “We do not want our partners in Germany and other European countries to judge too quickly.”
The federal government in Berlin announced Wednesday that Navalny had been “undoubtedly” poisoned with a chemical nerve agent. Therefore, the substance of the so-called Nowitschok group was detected by a special laboratory of the Bundeswehr. The member of the Russian opposition was transferred from Russia to Berlin for medical treatment on August 22 with symptoms of poisoning. Since then he has been treated at the Charité University Hospital.
On Wednesday, Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) condemned the “attempted poisoning” of members of the Russian opposition “in the strongest terms.” An attempt was made to “silence” Navalny. Moscow now has to answer “very serious questions”. Together with the EU and NATO partners, an “appropriate” reaction should now be decided. Other western states had also strongly condemned the poison attack on Navalny.
The 44-year-old is one of the sharpest critics of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. Navalny’s team assumes that Putin wanted to eliminate the well-known opposition party.
Kremlin spokesman Peskov said the case would not benefit anyone. “I don’t think that’s useful to anyone, when you look seriously at what happened.” There is no reason for the Russian head of state to make a statement, and talks with Chancellor Merkel are not planned.
