This archive report was first published on 22 August 2020.
On August 20, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny fell into a coma after drinking a tea that his supporters suspected was poisoned during a flight from Moscow.
Navalny was initially treated in Omsk, Siberia, where doctors initially refused to transfer him to Germany for further treatment, citing his unstable condition.
However, after pressure from Navalny's family and relatives, the doctors later approved his transfer to Germany, where he was accompanied by his wife Julia.
Navalny's medical evacuation flight, catered for by the German NGO Cinema for Peace, landed at Tegel airport in Berlin, where he will be treated at the Charite hospital.
Navalny's spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, expressed gratitude for the support, stating, 'Massive thanks to everyone for their support. The struggle for Alexei's life and health is just beginning.'
However, Yarmysh also criticized the doctors for delaying the approval of the flight, despite the plane and necessary documents being ready since Friday morning.
Doctors at Omsk announced that no poison was found in Navalny's blood, attributing his condition to a 'metabolic disorder' caused by low blood sugar.
They also found an industrial chemical on his skin and hair.
Navalny has a history of run-ins with Russian authorities, including a 2017 incident where he was splashed with an antiseptic green dye on his face in Moscow.
He was also sentenced to 30 days in prison in July 2019 for calling for illegal protests and had his offices raided by Russian security forces in December 2019.
