Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny 'poisoned'

dwayneshintzy

Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny is unconscious in hospital with suspected poisoning, his spokeswoman has said.
The anti-corruption campaigner fell ill during a flight and the plane made an emergency landing in Omsk, Kira Yarmysh said on Twitter.
She said they suspect Mr Navalny was poisoned by something mixed in his tea. A hospital has confirmed his admission.
Mr Navalny, 44, is a staunch critic of President Vladimir Putin.
In June he described a vote on constitutional reforms as a "coup" and a "violation of the constitution". The reforms allow Mr Putin to serve another two terms in office.

• Russia's vociferous Putin critic

What did the spokeswoman say?

Kira Yarmysh, the press secretary for the Anti-Corruption Foundation Mr Navalny founded in 2011, tweeted: "This morning Navalny was returning to Moscow from Tomsk.
"During the flight, he felt ill. The plane made an urgent landing in Omsk. Alexei has toxic poisoning. Right now we are going to hospital."
She added: "We suspect that Alexei was poisoned by something mixed into [his] tea. It was the only thing he drank since morning.
"Doctors are saying that the toxic agent absorbed faster through the hot liquid. Right now Alexei is unconscious."
Ms Yarmysh later tweeted that Mr Navalny was in intensive care, on a ventilator and still unconscious, and that the police had been called.
The Tass news agency reported that the Omsk Emergency Hospital had confirmed his admission and that he was in a serious condition.
Images on social media showed Mr Navalny being taken on a stretcher to an ambulance on the airport runway.
Who is Alexei Navalny?

He made a name for himself by exposing official corruption, labelling Mr Putin's United Russia as "the party of crooks and thieves", and has served several jail terms.

In 2011 he was arrested and imprisoned for 15 days following protests over vote-rigging by Mr Putin's United Russia party in parliamentary elections.
Mr Navalny was briefly jailed in July 2013 on embezzlement charges but denounced the sentence as political.
He attempted to stand in the 2018 presidential race but was barred because of previous fraud convictions in a case he again said was politically motivated.
Mr Navalny was also given a 30-day jail term in July 2019 after calling for unauthorised protests.
He was taken ill during that jail sentence. Doctors diagnosed him with "contact dermatitis" but he said he had never had any acute allergic reactions and his own doctor suggested he might have been exposed to "some toxic agent". Mr Navalny also said he thought he may have been poisoned.
Mr Navalny also suffered a serious chemical burn to his right eye in 2017 after he was assaulted with antiseptic dye.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53844958


Hopefully things go better for Navalny than they did Litvinenko...

Hodors Appletart

He was poisnoned before

suicide_circus

Bad pint

Gatling

There certainly making he suffers Putin is a headcase

TheValeyard

Putin really is farely fond of the auld poisoning isnt he?

CrabRevolution

Falling out of your balcony after being poisoned sounds like the most Russian death imaginable.

Edgware

CrabRevolution wrote: »

Falling out of your balcony after being poisoned sounds like the most Russian death imaginable.

They like using the ice pick as well.

Pkiernan

Did Putin have to ask Gerry first?

Edgware

Pkiernan wrote: »

Did Putin have to ask Gerry first?

More likely the Group B lads

Polar101

Just some updates on this.. mr. Navalny was allowed to be evacuated to Germany from Siberia on Saturday, and now the Germans are saying there are traces of poison in his system (but it's not confirmed yet).

In Omsk, the head doctor of the hospital where he was being treated had said there was no poison, but he had a "metabolic disease" caused by low blood sugar. And he had traces of "normal industrial chemicals" in his hands.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/24/alexei-navalny-was-probably-poisoned-says-germany

Loafing Oaf

Polar101 wrote: »

In Omsk, the head doctor of the hospital where he was being treated had said there was no poison, but he had a "metabolic disease" caused by low blood sugar. And he had traces of "normal industrial chemicals" in his hands.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/24/alexei-navalny-was-probably-poisoned-says-germany

Sounds like that doctor is more concerned about his own health...

Polar101

So.. not surprisingly, the Germans are now saying Navalny was poisoned with Novichok, and Kremlin are saying "do you have any evidence?"

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54002880

Might be a good idea to skip the in-flight catering if you're on Putin's naughty list.

whisky_galore

Hope he has his affairs in order. Poor fecker, I'd say his days are numbered back in Russia.

Gatling

He's brave I give him that ,

But unless tens of thousands more russians stand up and demand proper change or Putin supposed Parkinson's weakens his power ,it's the same old story in Moscow

riffmongous

Incredibly brave man.

Kivaro

Gatling wrote: »

He's brave I give him that ,

But unless tens of thousands more russians stand up and demand proper change or Putin supposed Parkinson's weakens his power ,it's the same old story in Moscow

It is appalling what's happening to Alexei Navalny. Imagine being poisoned by the State and then arrested immediately on obviously false charges upon returning back home to that State. He is a brave man; a man worthy to lead that country.

daheff

riffmongous wrote: »

Incredibly brave man.

Dunno if hes brave, foolish or stupid.

He should never have returned. He might never be seen him alive in public again.

alchemist33

He's calling for mass demonstrations while he's due in court. Hopefully it happens and he survives.

But I have to say it's odd how Russia faces so little criticism in the west compared to e.g. China (against whom criticism is very valid), especially on social media

Gatling

A Moscow court ordered he be held on remand for 30 days while awaiting trial

riffmongous

daheff wrote: »

Dunno if hes brave, foolish or stupid.

He should never have returned. He might never be seen him alive in public again.

It's bravery I think, like those in Belarus or the people who put their lives on the line at the Majdan in Kiev a few years ago. They showed it can be done if there were more people like Navalny, the problem seems to be rousing the masses from their post-soviet apathy spontaneously enough that the OMON and FSB can't shut them down first.

Parabellum9

riffmongous wrote: »

Incredibly brave man.

Incredibly stupid I would say, there’s nothing “brave” about knowingly travelling to a country that clearly wants you dead. It won’t achieve anything.

Gatling

Parabellum9 wrote: »

Incredibly stupid I would say, there’s nothing “brave” about knowingly travelling to a country that clearly wants you dead.

And yet people all over the world stand up to scumbags like Putin and don't back down ,
He's showing Putin up in Russia and on the international stage two things he cannot abide ,
There is no victory for putin anywhere in this

Parabellum9

Gatling wrote: »

And yet people all over the world stand up to scumbags like Putin and don't back down ,
He's showing Putin up in Russia and on the international stage two things he cannot abide ,
There is no victory for putin anywhere in this

The end result will not mean anything to Putin, he’ll still be there and he’ll carry on regardless. There is nothing and nobody that will remove him from power apart from his last breath. Navalny on the other hand will either end up dying “accidentally” or disappear altogether.

Gatling

Parabellum9 wrote: »

The end result will not mean anything to Putin,

Russian leader went from low income KGB officer to leader and one of the richest men in the world ,owns no companies or created a life changing product or invention but yet here we are a big torn in his side he's tried to kill unsuccessfully several times and prevent him from running against him in elections ,
Putin has been left with egg on his face and made to look weak ,add what happened recently with Armenia and Azerbaijan he's looking like he's on ever increasingly shakey land

conorhal

alchemist33 wrote: »

He's calling for mass demonstrations while he's due in court. Hopefully it happens and he survives.

But I have to say it's odd how Russia faces so little criticism in the west compared to e.g. China (against whom criticism is very valid), especially on social media

He's a shady businessman undermining the states democracy by challenging the validity of its elections, surely we are supposed to cheer on his authoritarian treatment?

Gatling

Alexei Navalny wasn't even allowed to attend court ,he was was given a rushed hearing lasting all of 5 minutes inside of a moscow police station.

Overheal

Gatling wrote: »

Alexei Navalny wasn't even allowed to attend court ,he was was given a rushed hearing lasting all of 5 minutes inside of a moscow police station.

That sounds like a typical bond hearing. Still has your judge for your case present.

I’m not defending Putin but need more to go off than that.

MadYaker

Why did he go back to Russia does anyone know? Does he think that since they failed they can’t try again? I wouldn’t be so confident. He can serve his cause much better alive in a foreign country than dead in Russia.

Muahahaha

Parabellum9 wrote: »

The end result will not mean anything to Putin, he’ll still be there and he’ll carry on regardless. There is nothing and nobody that will remove him from power apart from his last breath. Navalny on the other hand will either end up dying “accidentally” or disappear altogether.

Yeah Putin will never be overthrown, he has complete control of the media, oligarchs are afraid to challenge him and even if there was an uprising similar to Belarus Putin has a network of militias and heavily armed biker gangs who would crush it in no time at all. Its a sad state of affairs but Russia has never known democracy and apathy among the general public is at huge levels. The conditions needed to overthrow Putin are just simply not there and he has an iron fisted grip on power.

As for Navalny I suspect he will be put into the main prison population where he will be stabbed to death by other prisoners in the control of the FSB. Navalny put egg all over the FSBs face by tricking one of his assassins into admitting the plot to poison him on a phone call and that will not go unpunished. He has walked into almost certain death.

seamus

MadYaker wrote: »

Why did he go back to Russia does anyone know? Does he think that since they failed they can’t try again? I wouldn’t be so confident. He can serve his cause much better alive in a foreign country than dead in Russia.

I read a suggestion that he's at much higher risk outside of the country than inside it.

That is, it's much harder for Putin to deny an assassination attempt if it occurs on home soil, especially now that Navalny's name is better known.

Since much of Putin's reputation rides on the strongman image, it could also hurt his public image for the public think that Putin had his rival assassinated like a coward rather than face him.

As for whether he's brave or stupid, I'm going to assume that Navalny knows a little bit more about the nuances of Russian politics than we do, so I'll go with brave.

This is probably the only option open to him that has any chance of seeing Putin toppled.

Muahahaha

seamus wrote: »

I read a suggestion that he's at much higher risk outside of the country than inside it.

That is, it's much harder for Putin to deny an assassination attempt if it occurs on home soil, especially now that Navalny's name is better known.

Since much of Putin's reputation rides on the strongman image, it could also hurt his public image for the public think that Putin had his rival assassinated like a coward rather than face him.

As for whether he's brave or stupid, I'm going to assume that Navalny knows a little bit more about the nuances of Russian politics than we do, so I'll go with brave.

This is probably the only option open to him that has any chance of seeing Putin toppled.

Putin is linked with the murder of 21 journalists since he came to power in 2000 so I doubt he cares what the public thinks about his rivals being assassinated. Poisoning people is as cowardly as it gets but he had that done to Navalny on Russian soil anyway as well as the two in the UK.

seamus

This is true.

But I expect that Navalny knows what he's doing.

It could also be as simple as, "Come home and be put on trial and we promise we won't kill your wife and children". There's nowhere on earth for these people to realistically hide, they'd be on the run until Putin dies.

TheValeyard

My condolences to Navalny who fell from a prison window next Friday.

Muahahaha

seamus wrote: »

This is true.

But I expect that Navalny knows what he's doing.

It could also be as simple as, "Come home and be put on trial and we promise we won't kill your wife and children". There's nowhere on earth for these people to realistically hide, they'd be on the run until Putin dies.

The only place I could see him being safe was to go to the US and claim political asylum. I think Putin ordering an extra judicial murder on American soil is one step too far for even him, the Americans would retaliate heavily if he dared do that. But Navalny is not for hiding abroad and dropping off the the radar anyway, its like he has accepted his fate and is going to face it.

Gatling

Muahahaha wrote: »

The only place I could see him being safe was to go to the US and claim political asylum. I think Putin ordering an extra judicial murder on American soil is one step too far for even him, the Americans would retaliate heavily if he dared do that. But Navalny is not for hiding abroad and dropping off the the radar anyway, its like he has accepted his fate and is going to face it.

Wasn't there a case of a russian diplomat who was killed in the US but the Kremlin came out and said it was a heart attack but it seems he feel off a building


8 November 2016

On the morning of US Election Day, Russian diplomat Sergei Krivov, 63, was found lying unconscious on the floor of the Russian Consulate in New York with a head injury. Initial reports said Mr Krivov fell from the roof and had blunt force injuries, but Russian officials quickly changed their story and said he died from a heart attack..

Several other diplomats died in similar cases elsewhere but the Kremlin claimed that all died after short illness and heart attacks,

More recently doctors and nurses who complained about covid government failures stated to fall of balconies too.

The country is totally controlled very few people stand up

ohnonotgmail

Gatling wrote: »

Wasn't there a case of a russian diplomat who was killed in the US but the Kremlin came out and said it was a heart attack but it seems he feel off a building


8 November 2016

On the morning of US Election Day, Russian diplomat Sergei Krivov, 63, was found lying unconscious on the floor of the Russian Consulate in New York with a head injury. Initial reports said Mr Krivov fell from the roof and had blunt force injuries, but Russian officials quickly changed their story and said he died from a heart attack..

Several other diplomats died in similar cases elsewhere but the Kremlin claimed that all died after short illness and heart attacks,

More recently doctors and nurses who complained about covid government failures stated to fall of balconies too.

The country is totally controlled very few people stand up

I don't know, I'd probably have a heart attack if I fell off tall building.

Gatling

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

I don't know, I'd probably have a heart attack if I fell off tall building.

You and me both

Overheal

TheValeyard wrote: »

My condolences to Navalny who fell from a prison window next Friday.

I shouldn't laugh but you and I are awful.

Muahahaha

Didnt know about that Russian diplomat being pushed off the Russian consulate in NY. Though had Navalny gone to the US I dont think Putin would have tried to get to him, he can throw his weight around with the UK no problems but the US is a different kettle of fish in terms of the blowback of murdering someone given political asylum there,especially someone high profile like Navalny. Its academic anyway as he's chosen to face the music in Russia but just think it would have been a step too far for even Putin.

Anybody knows how popular this guy is in Russia? It looks to me like he's about as popular as Ahmad Chalabi, the great Iraqi liberator beloved by the Neo-conservatives.

MadYaker

seamus wrote: »

I read a suggestion that he's at much higher risk outside of the country than inside it.

That is, it's much harder for Putin to deny an assassination attempt if it occurs on home soil, especially now that Navalny's name is better known.

Since much of Putin's reputation rides on the strongman image, it could also hurt his public image for the public think that Putin had his rival assassinated like a coward rather than face him.

As for whether he's brave or stupid, I'm going to assume that Navalny knows a little bit more about the nuances of Russian politics than we do, so I'll go with brave.

This is probably the only option open to him that has any chance of seeing Putin toppled.

But sure the dogs in the street know what’s really going on here. I think he’ll be dead in a few weeks. Putin won’t personally gun him down in public but my take on it is that Putin wants everyone to know he’s behind this as a warning to others who may try something similar, that’s part of the strongman image.

ILoveYourVibes

Deleted User wrote: »

Anybody knows how popular this guy is in Russia? .

Russia is twice the size of America in landmass.

Its difficult for one person to be truly popular and for people to make a connection.

His notoriety and popularity though surged AFTER he was poisoned.

20% of Russians approve of his activities 50% do not.

Obviously no ordinary russian wants him poisoned or imprisoned though...or worse ..which is prob going to happen..

But its a false dichotomy to think Navalny or Putin ...many don't like either.

Putin's approval rating is 59% ..if you believe it ..

that’s part of the strongman image.

People misinterpret this image.

Firstly i mean if you have to kill a man who wasn't that popular or powerful before ...you are not strong. And russians know that.

The thing is .....all power...or an awful lot of it ..is very centralized in russia....yes there are huge states ....but a lot of power is very centralized through putin.

So the question is ...what happens when he dies ? To the country ...to his LACKEYS ...yes he has a supposed selection of choices to succeed him. But well ....there is always the fear of CHAOS when a leader dies who has centralized power so much through himself.

He leverages a lot of power. And has helped or protected a lot of people.

So when he is threatened .....the system he protects is also.

The STRONGMAN image is this ...is to show putin isn't going to die tomorrow. He is healthy ...he is not losing control. So the billionaires who he protects know he still protects them.

People chosen maybe to succeed him are people like Sobyanin, Mishutin or Shoigu.

But Putin CANNOT choose a successor too soon. Because other people are going to be pissed off behind the scenes that it is not them.

And that would be chaos for everyone.

Thus the strong man image of Putin being young vital and in control.

But ..it IS just an image. Putin is just a man ..and he is just mortal. And the people IN the system ..are not really loyal beyond belief to him.

Navalny is lifting the lid on corruption.

He has made public what the dogs on the street know in russia ...that Putin has a one billion estate near the black sea that a man on putins salary should not have. He is just making people talk about it.

He hasn't exposed anything Russians do not know.

But you can be sure that Russians approve of his talking about it and do not approve of his arrest or anything that might happen to him.

But whether or not they support his politics I don't know.


I have never thought Russians were AS right wing as putin...but i never thought they were as left wing as the west.

In terms of there being a challenge to putin. No.

Russian doesn't have the systems or organizations to do this. And they haven't had for generations.

There isn't going to be a revolution.

Muahahaha

MadYaker wrote: »

But sure the dogs in the street know what’s really going on here. I think he’ll be dead in a few weeks. Putin won’t personally gun him down in public but my take on it is that Putin wants everyone to know he’s behind this as a warning to others who may try something similar, that’s part of the strongman image.

Id say Putin would like him dead but doesnt want to make him a martyr either so we will likely see a show trial with him getting a few years and that will be him silenced and dropped off the radar of Russian news.

Putin has got to be fuming with him though, not only did he trick a FSB officer into admitting the poisoning plot against him he also released the floor plans of Putins $1bn palace by the Black Sea all while Putins official Kremlin salary is $120k p.a.. On top of that he helped to unmask Putins secret daughter, no one knew her identity for over 30 years. For a former spy like Putin Navalny has made him look like a mug when it comes to spy games.

jelem

Muahahaha wrote: »

Id say Putin would like him dead but doesnt want to make him a martyr either so we will likely see a show trial with him getting a few years and that will be him silenced and dropped off the radar of Russian news.

Putin has got to be fuming with him though, not only did he trick a FSB officer into admitting the poisoning plot against him he also released the floor plans of Putins $1bn palace by the Black Sea all while Putins official Kremlin salary is $120k p.a.. On top of that he helped to unmask Putins secret daughter, no one knew her identity for over 30 years. For a former spy like Putin Navalny has made him look like a mug when it comes to spy games.

ya all just yabbin about a common criminal who is a nobody in another country,
he is not elected to even a parish council or school board BUT idiots swallow
the lies which passed out to use as political attack --
remind you J.Assange -- WHY usa not hailing him as the hero and that because
he pointed the usa lies and murder\war crimes.--

Kivaro

It will be interesting this weekend with the scheduled protests to take place across Russia in support of Navalny. I expect mass arrests and beatings just like we saw in Belarus. Birds of a feather with these dictators.

Muahahaha

Just a $50,000 fine in Russia for covering up Putins picture in school classrooms as protesters are doing right now, its all over Twitter

jelem wrote: »

ya all just yabbin about a common criminal who is a nobody in another country,
he is not elected to even a parish council or school board BUT idiots swallow
the lies which passed out to use as political attack --
remind you J.Assange -- WHY usa not hailing him as the hero and that because
he pointed the usa lies and murder\war crimes.--

Hi Vlad and well done on your 4th fixed election

riffmongous

Kivaro wrote: »

It will be interesting this weekend with the scheduled protests to take place across Russia in support of Navalny. I expect mass arrests and beatings just like we saw in Belarus. Birds of a feather with these dictators.

Lots of arrests already by the looks of it

Muahahaha

riffmongous wrote: »

Lots of arrests already by the looks of it

Meanwhile on Russia Today right now they are talking about Bitcoin

Gatling

Muahahaha wrote: »

Meanwhile on Russia Today right now they are talking about Bitcoin

Of course they are ,

When putin invaded Ukraine they were running stories of genocide and mass graves of russians being found in part of East Ukraine .

Yet none were ever found

Odhinn

Gatling wrote: »

Of course they are ,

When putin invaded Ukraine they were running stories of genocide and mass graves of russians being found in part of East Ukraine .

Yet none were ever found

The Russian version of WMD.

riffmongous

Now they are going with 'protester knocks down police officer' :rolleyes: