This archive report was first published on 25 August 2020.
Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, fell ill on a flight from Siberia to Moscow on Thursday and was subsequently transferred to a German hospital, where he remains in a coma.
German doctors have discovered signs of 'cholinesterase inhibitors' in Navalny's body, which are used in the treatment of dementia and are also found in chemical weapons.
Navalny's supporters have called for the Kremlin to be held accountable for his illness, with some even pushing for an investigation into President Putin's involvement.
However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has denied the allegations, stating that there is no evidence to support an investigation.
Navalny's spokesperson has criticized the Russian government for failing to launch an investigation into the opposition leader's illness, with many experts also questioning the German doctors' conclusion on how the agent entered Navalny's body.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other European officials have called for the Russian government to conduct a probe into the possible poisoning, with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun also expected to discuss the issue during a tour to Russia.
