The wife of late Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny said on Sunday that Vladimir Putin "must be held accountable," following revelations that her husband was killed by a frog poison. Yulia Navalnaya thanked Britain and its allies for helping determine that Alexei Navalny's death two years ago was caused by a powerful neurotoxin called epibatidine.
The substance occurs naturally on the skin of Ecuadorian dart frogs and is extremely deadly. If ingested, it causes intense suffering, leading to paralysis and ultimately respiratory failure. Navalnaya said: "I was certain from the first day that my husband had been poisoned, but now there is proof: Putin killed Alexei with [a] chemical weapon.
Demanding Justice
"I am grateful to the European states for the meticulous work they carried out over two years and for uncovering the truth. Vladimir Putin is a murderer. He must be held accountable for all his crimes," she added.
On Saturday, the United Kingdom, along with Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, and France, formally accused the Russian state of being responsible for the death of Alexei Navalny, who died at the age of 47 while being held in a remote Siberian prison colony.
Navalny had been serving a 19-year sentence on dubious embezzlement charges. Russian authorities announced his death on February 16, 2024. At the time, his supporters said he was killed because the Kremlin viewed him as a serious political threat.
In a joint statement, the five countries said laboratory tests detected traces of epibatidine in Navalny's body — a rare and highly toxic substance linked to South American dart frogs.
The statement read: "Epibatidine is a toxin found in poison dart frogs in South America. It is not found naturally in Russia.
"Russia claimed that Navalny died of natural causes. But given the toxicity of epibatidine and reported symptoms, poisoning was highly likely the cause of his death. Navalny died while held in prison, meaning Russia had the means, motive and opportunity to administer this poison to him."
Shocking Truth
Marco Rubio said on Sunday that the report pointed to epibatidine — a substance classified as a chemical weapon — describing it as extraordinarily potent. He noted that the toxin is believed to be around 200 times stronger than morphine and can lead to paralysis, respiratory failure, and ultimately death.
The poison has traditionally been used by Indigenous tribes in South America, who apply it to blow darts or blowguns for hunting. How the toxin was allegedly given to Alexei Navalny remains unclear.
On Sunday morning, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed for the first time that Russia has had access to the substance, noting that it can also be manufactured synthetically.
She added that investigators have spent the past two years working to uncover the truth behind Navalny's death and build the evidence. According to Cooper, the motive was political, saying he was targeted because he openly challenged the regime and they wanted to silence him.
