Putin critic Navalny survived second assassination attempt when he was in coma: Report

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s critic, Alexei Navalny not only survived one but a second assassination attempt while he was in a coma, according to a report published on December 13. In August, the 44-year-old Russian opposition leader was reportedly targetted by agents for the Kremlin who rushed to the hospital in the Russian city Omsk where he was already being looked after following his poisoning with a Soviet-era nerve agent. 

According to German news outlet Deutsche Welle, the second assassination attempt was carried out before Navalny was flown to Berlin from Siberia to receive further treatment. As per reports, he was allegedly poisoned by Russian agents with the Novichok nerve agent that has been previously used against several anti-Putin critics in the recent years. After Navalny fell ill on his flight, the plane made an emergency landing where a German ambulance crew administered the 44-year-old with atropine, a poison antidote.

The British army’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment, told a local newspaper that it was atropine that saved Navalny’s life. If used quickly, he had elaborated that atropine can reverse the effects of nerve agents that can cause multiple organ failure. However, Kremlin has denied any involvement in the incident and even suggested that Navalny was poisoned with the Soviet-era substance after he arrived in Germany. 

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Russia 'not hiding' anything: Envoy to UN

Just last month Russia said that it is ready to investigate the alleged poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, but it needs to see evidence first, which it does not have access to, Vassily Nebenzia, the country’s ambassador to the United Nations (UN) asserted on November 12. Speaking to Sputnik, the top diplomat lambasted Germany, where Navalny was treated, saying that the Angela Merkel led authorities have refused to supply the "required evidence". Navalny, a top critic of President Vladimir Putin was allegedly poisoned on August 20 following which he was admitted to Berlin-based Charite hospital.

"They [Germans] are in a difficult situation. We are asking fair questions, to which they do not want to reply. We are ready to launch an investigation, but we need evidence, which they refuse to supply," Nebenzia said.

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