Five European countries have revealed the results of an investigation into the death of Alexei Navalny, who died two years ago in a Siberian penal colony. Experts from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands indicate that the cause of death was poisoning by epibatidine. This is an extremely potent toxin that occurs naturally in exotic frogs from South America, but in this case, it may have been synthetically produced in Russian military laboratories.

Identification of the Lethal Toxin

European investigators have determined that Alexei Navalny was murdered using epibatidine, a substance that paralyzes the nervous system, derived from exotic frogs.

Synthetic Origin of the Poison

Experts from Ecuador and Colombia claim the poison did not come from nature but was produced in a laboratory by Russian services.

Denials from the Kremlin

Authorities in Moscow reject the report as unfounded, maintaining the original version of the opposition figure's death from natural causes.

Two years after the tragic death of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny in the penal colony in Kharpa, a joint investigation by five European countries has yielded breakthrough findings. Specialists from the United Kingdom, Sweden, France, Germany, and the Netherlands unequivocally indicate that the cause of death was the administration of epibatidine. This is a substance of staggering toxicity that attacks the nervous system and is lethal even in minimal doses. While the natural source of this compound is the skin of South American frogs from the Dendrobatidae family, experts from Colombia and Ecuador suggest a synthetic form. They believe that obtaining the venom from nature on such a scale would be logistically difficult, pointing to laboratory production. The use of such an exotic substance raises questions about the perpetrators' motives. Some analysts suggest that the choice of epibatidine could have been a deliberate signal sent by Russian services, emphasizing their ability to operate with non-standard methods. There are also indications that Russian military institutes conducted research on this specific toxin and its military potential. The Kremlin immediately rejected these accusations, calling the conclusions of the European countries "completely unfounded." The official version of the Russian authorities since the event in February 2024 remains unchanged and rules out the involvement of third parties in the politician's death. Alexei Navalny had already survived an attempted poisoning with a Novichok-type nerve agent in 2020, for which Western intelligence agencies blamed the FSB. After treatment in Germany, the opposition figure decided to return to Russia, where he was immediately arrested and convicted in numerous political trials.Investigators emphasize that epibatidine acts faster and is much harder to detect in standard toxicological tests than previously known chemical substances. The fact that information about its use was revealed exactly on the second anniversary of Navalny's death has a symbolic and political dimension. This case will likely further strain the already tense relations between the European Union and Russia, leading to further calls for additional sanctions on those responsible for the functioning of the Russian penitentiary system. „The accusations coming from European countries are devoid of any substantive basis and constitute an element of information warfare.” — Kremlin (spokesperson)2 years — have passed since the opposition figure's death in the penal colony [{"aspect": "Substance", "before": "Novichok (2020)", "after": "Epibatidine (2024)"}, {"aspect": "Origin", "before": "Military nerve agents", "after": "Synthetic animal toxin"}, {"aspect": "Effectiveness", "before": "Survived after hospitalization", "after": "Death within minutes"}]

Mentioned People

  • Alexei Navalny — Russian opposition figure and anti-corruption activist who died under unexplained circumstances in a penal colony.
  • Vladimir Putin — President of Russia, accused by opposition circles of inspiring the assassination attempt on Navalny's life.
  • Yvette Cooper — British politician suggesting that the choice of toxin could have been a deliberate message from the Kremlin.