Navalny spokeswoman confirms flight departure

A plane carrying a Russian dissident who is in a coma after a suspected poisoning left for a German hospital Saturday following much wrangling over Alexei Navalny’s condition and treatment.

plane could be seen taking off from an airport in Siberian city of Omsk just after 8 a.m. local time (0200GMT).

Navalny’s spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, confirmed departure on Twitter.

" struggle for Alexei's life and health is just beginning and re will be much more to go through, but at least w first step has been taken", she ded.

flight to Berlin was expected to take about five hours.

Navalny, a 44-year-old politician and corruption investigator who is one of Russian President Vlimir Putin’s fiercest critics, was mitted to an intensive care unit in Siberian city of Omsk on Thursday.

His supporters believe that tea he drank was laced with poison - and that Kremlin is behind both his illness and delay in transferring him to a top German hospital.

Doctors in Omsk denied that and put forth ory that a drop in blood sugar may have caused Navalny to lose consciousness.

Western toxicology experts expressed doubts that a poisoning could have been ruled out so quickly.