UK summons Russia Ambassador over Navalny’s alleged ‘poisoning’

The British government has gone on the diplomatic offensive against Russia over the alleged poisoning of opposition activist, Alexei Navalny.

The Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, tweeted that the government has summoned Russia’s Ambassador to the UK to “register deep concern about the poisoning of Alexey [Alexei] Navalny”.

Raab also wrote he is “relieved” that Navalny has been taken out of a medically induced coma.

Navalny, 44, was taken ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow on August 20. He was later transported to the German capital, Berlin, for medical treatment where he is currently under observation.  

According to German officials, Navalny has been poisoned with novichok, the same nerve agent which the British government claims was used on the Russian double agent, Sergei Skripal, in the English city of Salisbury in March 2018.

The German government has threatened to reconsider its underwater pipeline project with Russia – known as Nord Stream 2 – unless the Kremlin cooperates with Germany’s investigation into the alleged poisoning.

Raab echoed the same sentiment today when he implied that Russia had used a “banned chemical weapon” against Navalny before demanding Moscow hold a “full, transparent investigation” into the incident.  

MG