Russian Putin Critic Fighting for Life After Suspected Poisoning

TRUNEWS with RICK WILES Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny was in a coma in a Siberian hospital on Thursday, after drinking a cup of tea. Doctors have not ruled out the possibility he was poisoned. Adam Reed reports. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is in a coma and breathing with the aid of an artificial lung ventilator, after drinking tea his spokeswoman said was laced with poison. He was admitted to a Siberian hospital today, and doctors have not ruled out that possibility. Anatoly Kalinchenko, the deputy head doctor of the hospital treating Navalny, told reporters: “Naturally poisoning is considered as one of the possible reasons of the deterioration in the condition. But, besides that, there could be a number of acute states that lead to the same clinical signs. We are working on everything.” Navalny’s spokeswoman said he started feeling ill when flying back to Moscow a day earlier. He reportedly drank tea at a cafe at Tomsk airport before boarding his flight, which made an emergency landing so that he could be rushed to hospital. The police were also called. She did not speculate about who may have poisoned Navalny, only that she thought it was deliberate. Navalny, a lawyer and anti-corruption activist, is a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin and has served several stints in jail. He and his allies had been busy preparing for Russia’s regional elections next month, trying to increase support for specific candidates. The Western establishment has been quick to point out there is a long history of Kremlin foes being poisoned or falling ill after suspected poisonings – specifically noting Alexander Litvinenko, who died in London in 2006 after drinking poisoned tea, and also invoking the name of Sergei Skripal, who was purportedly poisoned with a highly toxic nerve agent in 2018 in Salisbury, England. The Kremlin has denied involvement in those and other incidents. But, so far, Western leaders are believing Navalny’s associates. At a joint press conference in southern France, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: “I hope he recovers quickly, and if asked to we will provide him with medical assistance, including German hospitals, but the request has to come from there. What is particularly important is that the circumstances behind this are cleared up very quickly. We insist on this, because what we have heard so far is very unfavourable. It must be done very transparently.” French President Emmanuel Macron added that France is also ready to give Navalny all necessary assistance, including asylum. Activists supporting Alexei Navalny are working on getting the Kremlin critic to Germany, Bild daily reported on Thursday, as the politician fights for his life in a Siberian hospital after his allies said they believed he had been poisoned. Film producer and activist Jaka Bizilj, who in 2018 helped to fly Kremlin critic Pyotr Verzilov for treatment in Germany following what doctors described as an apparent poisoning, was involved in the plans and told Bild: “For humanitarian reasons, at Pyotr Verzilov’s request, we have organized a plane with all the medical equipment needed to bring Navalny to Germany. We are in contact with the authorities and hope that permission to transport the patient in a coma will be granted as soon as possible.” Bizilj did not immediately respond to a request to comment. Bild also reported that the Berlin Charite hospital was ready to treat Navalny. No one at the hospital was immediately available to comment. (Photo Credit: Reuters) www.trunews.com