After Alexei Navalny, the leader of the Russian opposition, was suspected of poisoning in August this year, Western countries pointed the finger at the Kremlin.
The British investigative media and the United States media released the so-called “investigation report” on December 14, claiming that there is evidence that the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has been following Navaline for many years.
In response, Russian President Putin responded at the annual press conference on the 17th: If Russia really wanted to poison Navalline, it would have done so long ago.
According to the transcript of the press conference released on CNN and the website of the Russian presidential palace, Putin was asked about the investigation report on Navalline on the 17th. He said that the “patient in Berlin clinic (Navalline)” was supported by the U.S. intelligence service.
“If that’s true, it’s interesting, and our special (intelligence) department certainly needs to take care of him,” Putin said.
“But that doesn’t mean that he needs to be poisoned. Who cares about him? If they [the Russian authorities] really want to do this, they may have done it.” Putin added: “After his wife (Navalline) asked me, I immediately turned on the green light to let him go to Germany for treatment.”
Perhaps stimulated by Putin’s response “supported by U.S. intelligence services”, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department claimed to CNN: “The shameless rumor-mongering activities involved in Russia, including attempts to shirk Navaline’s poisoning responsibility, will not prevent us from holding us and our allies from holding them accountable for this crime. “
Navaline, 44 years old, is the leader of the Russian opposition. He started as an anti-corruption blogger and street protest leader, organizing opposition political activities and using social media and blog websites to establish a national network of supporters.
On August 20 this year, Navalline developed poisoning symptoms during the flight and was rushed to a local hospital in Siberia for treatment. On August 23, he flew to Berlin on a special plane from the German human rights organization Peace Film Foundation.
The foreign ministers of Germany and France issued a joint statement on October 7, saying that Russia has not given a “credible explanation” for the Navaline incident so far. “In this case, we believe that there is no more reasonable statement than Russia’s participation and should be responsible for Mr. Navaline’s poisoning”. The statement also said that Germany and France will share the proposal to impose sanctions on Russia with EU partners.
According to CNN, on December 14, the British investigative news website Bellingcat and CNN jointly released a so-called investigation report, claiming that after investigating thousands of telephone records, flight information and other documents, it found that the Russian Federal Security Service had set up a special study of nerves. The intelligence team of poison has been tracking Navaline for many years.
On the 15th, Navaline said in an interview with CNN that he was “fully sure” that Putin knew Russian intelligence services were tracking him for a long time. “He (FSB Director Boltnikov) would never do so without Putin’s order.”
However, the above-mentioned investigation report was mocked by Putin on the 17th. Putin said: “Do you really think we don’t know that they are tracking [Russian intelligence personnel]? Our intelligence is very clear… they use the phone as long as they don’t think they need to hide their location.”
Putin continued to “educate”: “Attacking the upper class is a trick. The people who do it [attempt] to raise themselves to a certain level so that they can say: ‘See who I’m talking to? I am a person with the same ability…. This is a well-known trick.
“I think it’s worth using other ways, not these tricks, to win people’s respect and recognition.” Putin said: “I urge those who oppose the current government and other political forces not to be dominated by personal ambitions, but to put forward a positive agenda to overcome the difficulties facing our country first in the interests of the Russian people.”
