"Clouds got thicker": Germany reproved Russia of refusing to investigate Navalny's case

The German Foreign Ministry warned the Russian side about the negative diplomatic consequences of the behavior of the Russian authorities, which demonstrate a clear unwillingness to investigate the incident with the founder of the Anti-Corruption Fund, Alexey Navalny.

Heiko Maas said at a press conference following an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers that Russia should make a "greater contribution" to clarifying the circumstances of Alexei Navalny's deteriorating health.

“To some extent, clouds have gathered over our relationship. It is Russia that should make a greater contribution to clarifying the case with Navalny”, - TASS quoted Maas' words. He added that as soon as German doctors receive information regarding the substance to which Navalny was exposed, the country's authorities "will decide how to deal with it".

According to the German side, if there is evidence that Russian government agencies were involved in the poisoning of Navalny, the sanctions against Russia can be very tough.

“We have agreed that within the EU we will continue to coordinate our actions very closely”, - the head of the foreign ministry said.

Alexey Navalny became ill on August 20 on board a plane flying from Tomsk to Moscow. The pilots went to an emergency landing in Omsk, where they handed Navalny to an ambulance brigade. On the way to the hospital, Navalny fell into a coma. He had to be connected to a ventilator. His condition is assessed as serious.

After Navalny was transported from the antediluvian Omsk hospital for treatment to the Berlin University Hospital Charite, German doctors found traces of poisoning with cholinesterase inhibitors in his body. This may indicate that a chemical warfare agent was used against the politician. In order to determine its composition, Berlin doctors turned to military toxicologists for help.

Meanwhile, Russian doctors and officials said they did not believe in Navalny's poisoning. Moreover, the inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs after numerous statements of citizens interested in investigating the incident began only a week after the politician was hospitalized. The Russian security forces refused to initiate a criminal case on the fact of the attempt on the life of a statesman.