Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of late Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, has revealed that foreign laboratory tests confirm he was poisoned while imprisoned in a Siberian penal colony. According to Navalnaya, two separate overseas laboratories independently analyzed smuggled biological samples from Navalny and both reached the same conclusion that he was poisoned. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said he was unaware of the claims when asked during a press conference. Navalny, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died at the age of 47 in February 2024 while serving his sentence in a penal colony north of the Arctic Circle. Russian authorities said he collapsed during a walk in the prison yard, but his widow and supporters have long held Putin responsible. Moscow has consistently denied any involvement. His death sparked protests across the world, with demonstrators outside Russian embassies in Berlin, Paris, and other cities holding signs reading Putin is a killer and Putin to the Hague.In a video posted on X, Navalnaya reiterated her vow to uncover the truth.A year and a half ago I promised we would do everything to investigate Alexeys murder. We are keeping that promise, she said. She added that Navalnys alleged killers worked carefully to erase traces, but his supporters managed to obtain biological samples and send them abroad. Labs in at least two countries examined these samples independently of each other. And these laboratories, in two different countries, reached the same conclusion: Alexey was killed more specifically, he was poisoned.Navalnaya did not specify the substance identified in the tests and urged the laboratories to release their findings publicly. She also shared images she claimed showed Navalnys prison cell, including one of his vomit.Navalnys team confirmed they have not yet received the full reports from the laboratories but said part of the reason for going public was to pressure the facilities to release their results. They declined to disclose which countries were involved in the analysis.In 2021, Navalny returned to Russia after recovering in Germany from poisoning with Novichok, a Soviet-era nerve agent. He was immediately arrested and later sentenced on charges he denounced as politically motivated.He was eventually transferred to the Polar Wolf penal colony in Siberia, one of Russias harshest prisons, where he described sleeping under a newspaper for warmth. His family was denied access to his body for several days after his death, deepening suspicions of foul play.
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