Russia used dart frog poison to kill Navalny, UK and European allies say

Britain and European allies have claimed that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was killed using a poison developed from a dart frog toxin, two years after his death at a Siberian penal colony.

The UK Foreign Office said there is no innocent explanation for the toxin, called epibatidine, being found in samples taken from Navalny’s body. 

This follows analysis of material samples found on his body, with Britain blaming the Kremlin for his death.

A joint statement issued by the UK, Sweden, France, Germany and the Netherlands said: “Only the Russian state had the means, motive and opportunity to deploy this lethal toxin to target Navalny during his imprisonment in a Russian penal colony in Siberia, and we hold it responsible for his death.”

The statement added: “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.”

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper met with Navalny’s widow Yulia Navalnaya at the conference this weekend, saying, “Russia saw Navalny as a threat.”

She added: “By using this form of poison, the Russian state demonstrated the despicable tools it has at its disposal and the overwhelming fear it has of political opposition.”

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer praised Navalny’s “huge courage”, saying “his determination to expose the truth has left an enduring legacy.” 

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said his country “pays tribute” to Navalny, who he suggested was “killed for his fight in favour of a free and democratic Russia.”

Navalny, an anti-corruption campaigner and Russia’s most vociferous opposition leader, died suddenly in jail on 16 February 2024 at the age of 47. In 2020 he was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent, underwent treatment in Germany, and was arrested at the airport upon his return to Russia.

Navalnaya had consistently claimed that her husband was poisoned by Russia. In September last year, she said analysis of smuggled biological samples carried out by laboratories in two countries showed that her husband had been “murdered”, though she did not provide details on the poison allegedly used.

Reacting to the announcement, Navalnaya said: “I was certain from the first day that my husband had been poisoned, but now there is proof. I am grateful to the European states for the meticulous work they carried out over two years and for uncovering the truth.”

The Kremlin has not commented on the allegations. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who avoided naming Navalny while he was alive, briefly referred to him a month after his death by stating that a person passing was “always a sad event.”

At the time of his death, Navalny had been in jail for three years on trumped-up charges and had recently been transferred to the penal colony. 

According to Russian accounts, the 47-year-old took a short walk at his Siberian penal colony, said he felt unwell, then collapsed and never regained consciousness.