Alexei Navalny: Germany sends flight to bring 'poisoned' critic, doctors deny permission

An air Ambulance from Germany has left for Russia to bring President Vladimir Putin’s critic Alexei Navalny to Berlin for further treatment as he remains on ventilator support. However, the chief physician of Omsk hospital, where Navalny is currently admitted, has denied permission to release the patient, saying he is not well enough to be moved. 

Navalny is currently in a coma in the intensive care unit after he fell unconscious during a flight due to alleged poisoning. Navalny’s press secretary Kira Yarmysh said that the 44-year-old Russian leader is in a critical condition, accusing Kremlin of poisoning the anti-corruption campaigner and a staunch critic of Putin.

"We suspect that Alexei was poisoned by something mixed into [his] tea. It was the only thing he drank since morning. Doctors are saying that the toxic agent absorbed faster through the hot liquid. Right now Alexei is unconscious,” she had said.

Both Germany and France offered help for Navalny’s treatment and German peace foundation Cinema for Peace finally stepped in to bring the leader to Berlin. Jaka Bizilj, director of the Cinema For Peace, said that the plane has required medical equipment with specialist doctors as Berlin's Charite hospital is ready to treat the politician.

Read: Kremlin Critic Navalny, Day Before 'poisoning', Said His Death Won't Help Putin

Read: Alexei Navalny: Know Russia’s Anti-corruption Campaigner Whom Putin ‘fears’ The Most

Permission denied

After the hospital’s denial to let Navalny move out of Russia, Yarmysh said that the doctors were ready to authorise the movement but changed the decision at the last moment. She claimed that the decision was not made by the doctors but by Kremlin, as Navalny’s team has accused the current regime of attempted assassination on Putin’s critic.

“Until now, doctors have said that they are ready to authorize transportation. That is why we organized it in the shortest possible time. Now, at the last moment, doctors are not giving permission. This decision, of course, was not made by them, but by the Kremlin,” she tweeted.

Navalny has been at the forefront of the anti-corruption struggle in Russia and has organised several demonstrations against Putin and his political allies. He has strongly criticised the sweeping constitutional reforms introduced by Putin, giving himself an option to stay in power beyond term limits.

Read: Russia's Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny In Coma After Suspected Poisoning

Read: Russia's Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny 'poisoned', Currently In ICU