The diplomatic turmoil triggered by the suspected poisoning incident of Navalny, a Russian opposition figure, continues. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov stated on November 12 local time that Russia will impose reciprocal sanctions on Germany and France in this matter. Lavrov also said that the site of the Navaline poisoning may be in Germany or on a plane to Germany.
According to a report by Agence France-Presse on November 12, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov announced at an online conference that day that the EU will impose sanctions on Russia on the suspected poisoning incident in Navalny, Russia will impose certain officials in Germany and France. Sanctions, this decision will be notified to relevant countries soon. Lavrov said: “Because Germany is the driving force behind the EU sanctions (Russia) on the Navalny incident, and these sanctions are directly related to senior officials of the Presidential Government of the Russian Federation, our sanctions response will reflect this.”
Lavrov also said that Navalny might have been poisoned in Germany or on a plane to Germany. According to a Reuters report on the 12th, Lavrov said: “We have reason to believe that all the processes in which the poison enters his (Navariny) body may have occurred in Germany or he was sent to the Charité Hospital (Berlin, Germany). On the plane of the Russian Federation.” Russian Foreign Intelligence Agency Director Naryshkin said in September that when Navariny left Russia, there were no toxic substances in his body.
According to reports, Navalny is a well-known leader of the Russian opposition. He has long criticized the Russian government under Putin. He organized many large-scale demonstrations and was sentenced to many times. Navalny was in a coma on a flight from Siberia to Moscow in August and was transferred to Germany to continue treatment after a brief hospitalization in Russia. The German government later announced that after investigation by the German military’s special laboratory, Navalny was diagnosed with poisoning by the military nerve agent “Novijok”. Germany and other Western countries have condemned the Russian government as being responsible for this.
Although the Russian government has always denied involvement in the Navalny incident and expressed its willingness to cooperate with Germany in investigating the incident, the European Union still decided on October 15 to attack 6 people including the head of the Russian Federal Security Service Alexander Boltnikov. Russian officials and a research institution imposed sanctions.
