Poisoning of Alexei Navalny: Vladimir Putin rejects any involvement of the FSB
A poster of Navalny with the words 'poisoned' AFP
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Vladimir Putin held his traditional annual press conference Thursday from his country house near Moscow.
The Russian president who spoke for more than 4 hours took the opportunity to react to the Navalny affair.
The Russian intelligence services are accused by the opponent of having fomented his poisoning in Novichok.
The Kremlin denies it outright.
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From our correspondent in Moscow
,
Paul Gogo
This press conference takes place every year but this year there was an elephant in the room.
This elephant is the opponent Alexeï Navalny,
poisoned last August
with the military neurotoxic poison novichok.
►Also read: Navalny accuses Putin of being "behind" his poisoning, the Kremlin reacts
In an investigation published earlier this week, the opponent, still recovering in Germany, accused the Russian security services, the FSB, of being at the origin of his poisoning.
"
Who would need this?
"
It was finally a journalist close to the Kremlin who questioned the head of state on Thursday.
The head of the Kremlin believes that the opponent is collaborating with the American intelligence services.
“
It is only laundering of information provided by the American services.
So obviously our secret services have to follow him, but that doesn't mean we have to poison him.
Who would need this?
(laughs)
If that was what we wanted, we would have gone all the way!
», Replied the Russian president.
The Kremlin has been multiplying for several weeks these accusations of collaboration with foreign services without any proof having been put forward.
But the Russian authorities could be tempted to push Alexeï Navalny not to return to the country by prosecuting him.
The opponent assures him that he will return to Russia.
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Vladimir Poutine
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Navalny accuses Putin of being "behind" his poisoning, the Kremlin reacts
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