Putin critic Navalny was poisoned with a chemical nerve agent, Germany says

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny stands near law enforcement agents in a hallway of a business centre, which houses the office of his Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), in Moscow on De
(Image credit: DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images)

A chemical nerve agent was used to poison Alexei Navalny, prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Germany says.

The Russian opposition leader was hospitalized last month after falling ill on a flight to Moscow, and after he was transferred to a hospital in Germany, a spokesperson for German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday said tests conducted at a German military lab found "proof without doubt of a chemical nerve agent from the Novichok group," The Associated Press reports. The press secretary for Navalny's anti-corruption organization previously said that "we suspect that Alexei was poisoned by something mixed into [his] tea."

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.