Germany, UK, France and Sweden told the OPCW that Russia did not respond to questions about Navalny’s poisoning

The missions of Germany, Great Britain, France and Sweden to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) sent letters to the Organization’s Technical Secretariat, the independent chemical weapons specialist said. reported former OPCW employee Mark-Michael Bloom. These letters, in particular, say that the Russian authorities did not give in the established 10 days term an exhaustive answer to questions regarding the poisoning of the leader of the Russian opposition, Alexei Navalny.

Earlier received an official response from Moscow with accusations against members of the OPCW United Kingdom is considering “As an attempt to absolve himself of responsibility for the attempt on Navalny’s life with the use of chemical weapons.”

Germany also rejected a number of accusations and suspicions contained in the Russian response. According to Berlin, Germany responded to all requests from the Russian prosecutor’s office to coordinate actions in connection with the treatment of Alexei Navalny. Germany also answered Russia’s questions about transporting the opposition leader to Berlin. The German side stressed that the plane on which the politician was brought from Omsk was provided by a private person, and there were no representatives of the German authorities on board during the flight. transfers “Rain”.

When asked by Russia why the OPCW provided assistance to Germany, the German side replied that it had requested assistance from the Organization’s Technical Secretariat within the framework of the seventh article of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The letter from Great Britain answers the question of Russia about what was the role of the FBK employee Maria Pevchikh, who accompanied Navalny during the transportation to Berlin and has British citizenship. The UK responded that the role of the Singers is clear from media reports.

When asked by Russia about the bottle, on which traces of the chemicals were found, the UK responded that it “fully trusts” Germany in handling the physical evidence and the conclusions drawn from their research.

In a letter from Sweden, questions regarding the formula of a chemical found in Navalny’s body, redirected Germany.

On October 5, 45 countries belonging to the OPCW sent questions to Russia about the poisoning of Navalny. The questions themselves were not voiced publicly, but 10 days were allotted to receive answers.

Two days later, Russia provided the OPCW with an “exhaustive, dignified and legally verified” answer, said Alexander Shulgin, Russia’s permanent representative to the organization. In addition, Russia asked counter questions.

On August 20, 2020, Alexei Navalny became ill during a flight from Tomsk to Moscow. The politician fell into a coma and was hospitalized in Omsk after an emergency landing. Two days later, the opposition leader was taken to the Charite clinic in Berlin for treatment. German experts found traces of the Novichok poisonous warhead in the politician’s analyzes. Then it was confirmed by two more independent European laboratories.

In December, The Insider and Bellingcat published investigation that FSB officers were involved in the poisoning of Navalny. The Russian authorities deny this.