5 Nations Blame Russia for Navalny's Frog Toxin Death

Joint Statement Reveals Epibatidine Toxin

A joint statement from the foreign ministries of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands said that laboratory analysis of samples taken from Navalny found epibatidine, a potent toxin discovered in the skin of poison dart frogs from South America that is not a natural component of Russian tissue. 

It appears that Russia possesses the means, motive and opportunity to supply the poison, the countries said, and they would escalate the matter to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, alleging a violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention by Russia. 

Navalny's Background as Putin Foe

Navalny, a leading foe of President Vladimir Putin who led large-scale protests against the Kremlin and revealed corruption in official operations there, died in an Arctic penal colony in February 2024 while serving a 19-year sentence, which he said was politically motivated.
After being treated in Germany, it was five months before he rejoined Russia following arrest and held in Russia until his death. 

Yulia Navalnaya Declares Murder Proven

His widow, Yulia Navalnaya, announced that her husband’s murder was now a science-proven fact. Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, said last year that two party labs had found her husband was poisoned just days before he died.
She has often blamed Putin for Navalny’s death, an accusation that Russian officials have staunchly rejected.
Yuli said, “Two years ago I came on stage here and said that it was Vladimir Putin who killed my husband. I was of course certain that it was a murder. But back then it was just words. But today these words have become science-proven facts.”

UK Condemn Russian Act

UK Foreign Ministry said only the Russian state had the means, motive and opportunity to deploy the ‘lethal toxin’ to kill Navalny at the time of being held in a Russian penal colony in Siberia.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said, “Russia saw Navalny as a threat. 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.”