The German government says it believes that Russian dissident Alexei Navalny was possibly the target of a poison attack. Speaking to reports at a regular press conference on Monday, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said it is “fairly likely” that the Russian opposition politician was poisoned, adding that “because there is a certain probability of a poison attack,” personal protection of Navalny is “necessary.” Navalny, who was flying to Moscow from Siberia Thursday, fell ill during the flight, prompting the plane to make an emergency landing in Omsk, Siberia. His aide said Navalny had drunk black tea at an airport cafe. Supporters of Navalny, a well-known critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, believe the tea was laced with poison. Navalny’s wife and an associate visited him at Charite Hospital in Berlin on Sunday. Yulia Navalnaya and the aide did not speak to reporters as they entered the German capital’s main hospital to see Navalny. He is in an induced coma and breathing with the aid of a ventilator. An empty stretcher is moved back into an ambulance which is believed to have transported Alexei Navalny to the Charité Clinic for treatment, in Berlin, Germany, Aug.22, 2020.Navalnaya pushed to have her husband, 44, flown for treatment in Berlin. After his arrival Saturday, hospital spokeswoman Manuela Zingl said he would undergo extensive diagnostic tests and that doctors wouldn’t comment on his illness or treatment until they were able to evaluate the results. On Saturday, Russian health authorities, who at first balked at allowing Navalny to be flown to Germany, said tests hadn’t shown any poisons in his system. Before Friday’s decision to allow treatment in Germany, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated the government would help facilitate the move and wished Navalny a “speedy recovery.” Peskov said the government would investigate the incident should toxicology reports show Navalny had been poisoned. The case has attracted international attention. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron expressed concern last week over Navalny’s condition. U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden also weighed in, saying Navalny’s “coma after being poisoned” was “unacceptable.” Donald Trump continues to cozy up to Russia while Putin persecutes civil society and journalists. Now, opposition leader Alexei Navalny is in a coma after being poisoned. It’s unacceptable. Unlike Trump, I’ll defend our democratic values and stand up to autocrats like Putin. https://t.co/OLjoGDaG4f— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 21, 2020The U.S. Embassy in Moscow indicated it was monitoring the situation. “If true, the suspected poisoning of Russian oppositionist Aleksey #Navalny represents a grave moment for Russia, and the Russian people deserve to see all those involved held to account. Our thoughts are with his family,” said U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Rebecca Ross in a tweet.
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