1 hour ago
Last Updated:February 14, 2026, 19:37 IST
His widow, Yulia Navalnaya, said on Saturday that her husband’s death in an Arctic prison in 2024 was “murder” and is now a “scientifically proven fact”.
A mourner lays flowers at a makeshift memorial for late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, marking the first anniversary of his death. (AFP/File)
The United Kingdom and four other countries have accused Russia of being responsible for the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, claiming he was killed using a rare poison derived from dart frog toxin.
The foreign ministries of the countries have confirmed the presence of “epibatidine", which is a toxin found in poison dart frogs in South America, and not found naturally in Russia.
“We know the Russian state now used this lethal toxin to target Navalny in fear of his opposition," the UK’s foreign office said in a statement.
In a joint statement, the countries said Russia had the means, motive and opportunity to use the poison, and added that they would report Moscow to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for violating the Chemical Weapons Convention.
His widow, Yulia Navalnaya, said on Saturday that her husband’s death in an Arctic prison in 2024 was “murder" and is now a “scientifically proven fact".
On the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Navalnaya 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."
Navalnaya last September said that laboratory analysis of smuggled biological samples found he was killed by poisoning.
“Today, beside his widow, the UK is shining a light on the Kremlin’s barbaric plot to silence his voice," UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, who met Navalnaya while attending the Munich conference, said in a statement.
The countries said they had reported Russia to the world’s chemical weapons watchdog, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, over the findings.
“We are further concerned that Russia did not destroy all of its chemical weapons," the countries said, accusing Moscow of breaching the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Navalny was earlier poisoned with the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok in 2020 while campaigning in Siberia and was later flown to Germany for emergency treatment, where he spent months recovering.
The prominent anti-corruption campaigner had mobilised hundreds of thousands across Russia in protests against the Kremlin, while exposing the alleged illicit wealth of President Putin’s inner circle.
The Russian authorities have previously strenuously denied any involvement in his death. There is no innocent explanation for the toxin Epibatidine being found on Navalny’s body, the Foreign Office said.
Handpicked stories, in your inbox
A newsletter with the best of our journalism
First Published:
February 14, 2026, 19:37 IST
News world UK, Four Others Blame Russia For Navalny Death, Cite ‘Dart Frog Toxin’
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Read More
