"Empty noise": the Kremlin responded to accusations against Russia over the situation with Navalny

In Russia, they do not yet plan to organize criminal proceedings on the fact of the incident with Alexei Navalny, who became ill during the flight from Tomsk to Moscow. This was stated by the press secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov.

“First you need to find the substance, to establish what caused this condition. That is, there must be a reason for the investigation. While we ascertain with you that the patient is in a coma ... If a substance is identified and if it is established that it is poisoning, then, of course, this will be a reason for investigation, "Peskov said.

He also criticized the position of those who immediately began to view the incident as "an attempt at poisoning."

“We cannot take seriously the accusations you have voiced. These are accusations that absolutely cannot be true in any way and are rather empty noise. Therefore, we do not intend to take this seriously, ”added a Kremlin official.

According to him, Russian doctors considered a version of poisoning, but no toxic substance was found, while the fact of low cholinesterase was established in the first hours in a hospital in Omsk, and atropine was administered to Navalny. He also noted that the medical analysis of German doctors coincides with their colleagues from the Russian Federation, but "the conclusions are different."

“We do not understand why our German colleagues are in such a hurry, using the word“ poisoning ”... Of course, our doctors themselves are ready to provide samples of the first analyzes, and expect to invite German colleagues to exchange information and various biological materials,” Peskov explained ...

Earlier, the European Union called on the Russian authorities to organize an "independent and transparent investigation into the poisoning" of Alexei Navalny. This was stated by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. According to him, representatives of the international community, like the Russians, "demand to establish the facts behind the poisoning of Navalny." At the same time, he stressed that the preliminary results of analyzes of the Berlin clinic "Charite" testify to the poisoning of Navalny.

“The European Union categorically condemns the likely attempt on the life of Alexei Navalny,” added the head of European diplomacy.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also made a call to "conduct a thorough investigation of the incident". In their statement, they stressed that "the perpetrators must be identified and brought to justice."

"EU policy towards Russia is no longer neutral"

According to the deputy director of the Institute of History and Politics of the Moscow State Pedagogical University Vladimir Shapovalov, such a statement by the head of European diplomacy can be interpreted as interference in the internal affairs of Russia by the European Union.

“It should be borne in mind that even if a diagnosis of poisoning is established, and there are very big doubts that it can still be considered poisoning, then, as you understand, there is a huge distance from poisoning to assassination. And poisoning can occur in different ways, including medication, including accidental, and so on. Therefore, the fact that the European Union allows this kind of expression in this statement, of course, is a gross violation of all diplomatic norms, norms of international law, "said the interlocutor of RT.

According to him, such an unfriendly statement against Russia should receive a legal and political assessment.

“It should be emphasized that the EU policy towards Russia has long been no longer neutral - it is also the sanctions regime, which was arbitrarily established unilaterally against Russia collectively by the EU countries, and is annually confirmed. And now we see another unfriendly action on the part of the European Union. I think that, of course, the EU countries need to think about their internal problems, ”Shapovalov explained.

In turn, Nikita Danyuk, Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Forecasts of the RUDN University, noted that the European Union continues to adhere to the information line, according to which Alexei Navalny is a victim of the Russian authorities.

"The thesis has already taken root in the public consciousness that Navalny was poisoned ... And now, of course, after the society has been warmed up by the media, it is time for politicians who should use this situation as another reason to accuse Moscow," the expert said in an interview with RT.

Hospitalization of Navalny

Alexei Navalny became ill on August 20, when he was aboard an S7 airline flying from Tomsk to Moscow. The airliner urgently sat down at the Omsk airport, from where Navalny, who was unconscious, was taken to a local hospital. Then the medical institution reported that the main diagnosis was metabolic disorders, which was the result of a sharp drop in blood sugar levels.

When the doctors considered the patient's condition stable, the relatives insisted on his transfer from the Omsk hospital to the German clinic "Charite", where he was taken on August 22.

On Monday, a press conference was held in Omsk dedicated to the results of the work of doctors when Navalny was admitted to the emergency hospital No. 1 (BSMP-1). Chief physician Alexander Murakhovsky and his deputy Anatoly Kalinichenko said that Navalny was admitted to the hospital in a coma, and “the doctors of BSMP-1 saved his life with great efforts and labor.” Kalinichenko added that the diagnosis of "poisoning" was one of the first that doctors considered. Later, an answer was received from two laboratories - Tomsk and Moscow - that no chemical and toxicological substances that could be regarded as poisons or as products of the action of poisons were identified. 

At the same time, the doctors of the Charité clinic issued a statement on August 24, in which they said that the data from clinical studies indicate that the blogger was poisoned with substances from the group of cholinesterase inhibitors. Charité clarified that Navalny is still in the intensive care unit in an artificial coma. His condition is assessed by doctors as serious, but without danger to the patient's life. The statement claimed that the toxin's effects had been proven multiple times and in independent laboratories.

"The outcome of the disease remains uncertain, and long-term consequences, especially affecting the nervous system, are currently not ruled out," the clinic said.

The Ministry of Health of the Omsk Region, commenting on the statement of the clinic, said that upon admission to the hospital, Navalny did not have a clinical picture typical of the group of cholinesterase inhibitors, but studies on a wide range of narcotic, synthetic substances, psychodysleptics and medicinal substances, including cholinesterase inhibitors showed a negative result.

They also recalled that they are ready to provide their German colleagues with samples of biomaterials taken from Navalny.

"Poisoning - a hasty conclusion"

In turn, the head of the Bureau of Forensic Medicine of the Moscow Department of Health, Sergei Shigeev, called the allegations that Navalny was poisoned hasty.

“This conclusion is hasty, since it has not been proven: the level of decrease in cholinesterase activity is unknown, the specific substance or its metabolites that caused the decrease in cholinesterase activity have not been established. In addition, the clinic of the onset and development of the disease in specific conditions and circumstances does not correspond to the picture typical for this type of poisoning, "TASS quotes him.

He also noted that cholinesterase inhibitors are not only toxic substances, but also common drugs (acridines, piperidines and carbamates), which are widely used in neurology and psychiatry.

Alexander Myasnikov, TV presenter and chief physician of Moscow Hospital No. 71, added that cholinesterase inhibitors are used to treat Alzheimer's disease, as well as to improve memory and stimulate brain activity.

“For example, a young politician wanted to improve his working capacity and memory, took a loading dose of pills, then didn't eat, drank too much and overdose! Can this be? Well, more likely than fertilizer or a dropout poisoner! What's my conclusion? Do not rush to conclusions ... We must wait where it will all pour out, nothing is clear yet. It happened a million times that the obvious things turned out to be zilch and vice versa, believe me. Only I am afraid that the trigger has already been squeezed out and serious political battles await us. I wish Alexei Navalny good health, ”Myasnikov wrote in his Telegram channel.