Russian Opposition Leader Navalny Poisoned With Deadly 'Dart Frog' Toxin, European Governments Say

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in a remote Siberian prison two years ago, was almost certainly poisoned with a deadly toxin found in South American dart frogs, five European governments said Saturday. A joint statement from Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands said they were “confident” Navanly had been poisoned after an analysis of samples taken from his body “conclusively confirmed the presence of epibatidine.” “Epibatidine can be found naturally in dart frogs in the wild in South America. Dart frogs in captivity do not produce this toxin, and it is not found naturally in Russia. There is no innocent explanation for its presence in Navalny’s body,” the statement said. Read more: Navalny Speaks To TIME From His Prison Cell “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,” it continued.   The five countries said they were reporting the case to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, alleging Russia violated the Chemical Weapons Convention. Russian authorities had previously claimed Navalny, 47, died of natural causes while serving several sentences totaling more than 30 years at a high-security prison above the Arctic Circle.  Navalny rose to prominence as an anti-corruption campaigner and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests, becoming a key opponent of President Vladimir Putin. Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, appeared at a press conference during the Munich Security Conference alongside European foreign ministers to announce the findings. “Scientists from five European countries have established: my husband, Alexei Navalny, was poisoned with epibatidine—a neurotoxin, one of the deadliest poisons on earth. In nature, this poison can be found on the skin of the Ecuadorian dart frog. It causes paralysis, respiratory arrest, and a painful death,” she said. “I was certain from the first day that my husband had been poisoned, but now there is proof: Putin killed Alexei with chemical weapon. I am grateful to the European states for the meticulous work they carried out over two years and for uncovering the truth. Vladimir Putin is a murderer. He must be held accountable for all his crimes.” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the poisoning shows that “Vladimir Putin is prepared to use chemical weapons against his own people to remain in power. France pays tribute to this opposition figure, killed for his fight in favor of a free and democratic Russia.” British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper added: “Only the Russian government had the means, the motive, and the opportunity to use that toxin against Alexei Navalny in prison. We are here today to shine a spotlight on the Kremlin’s barbaric attempt to silence Alexei Navalny’s voice.” Russia announced Navalny’s death on Feb. 16, 2024, just as that year’s Munich Security Conference opened. On that day, Navalnaya delivered a speech, pledging that Putin “would pay for what they have done to our country, to my family, and to my husband.” After a weeklong dispute over custody, Russia released Navalny’s body to his mother. Last September, Navalnaya said her team had transferred some biological samples from his body abroad, and two laboratories confirmed he had been poisoned. She described a photograph of her husband’s prison cell showing vomit on the floor the day he died, and said excerpts from official incident reports submitted by five prison officials indicated he suffered heavy vomiting and convulsions shortly before his death.  Six months after his death, Russia’s Investigative Committee declined to open a criminal investigation, citing a combination of medical conditions. Its report listed hypertension, chronic hepatitis, and a damaged vertebra as contributing factors, and claimed a rise in blood pressure disrupted his heart rhythm. One of Navalny’s former doctors called the diagnosis “implausible.” Navalny had survived a prior assassination attempt in 2020, collapsing on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow after exposure to a nerve agent. He later said he had gathered evidence that Russian security agents had targeted him. European officials said it remains unclear how the toxin, which is roughly 200 times more potent than morphine, was administered to Navalny. Navalny’s aides said he was close to being released in a prison exchange when he died. Flowers and portraits of the late opposition leader have appeared in memorials across Europe, including outside the former Russian consulate in Frankfurt, highlighting international outrage over his death.