Lavrov: Russia has no proof of Navalny poisoning

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that Russia has no proof of opposition leader Alexei Navalny's poisoning from Western countries, except for Navalny's testimonies.

Navalny was detained at passport control at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport after flying in Sunday evening from Berlin, where he was treated following the poisoning in August that he blames on the Kremlin.

Navalny’s arrest adds another layer of tension to relations between Moscow and the West that have long been strained and were worsened by his poisoning.

"Navalny says: 'Russian Federation and personally Vladimir Putin poisoned me', and this is perceived by the West without any rejection," Lavrov said.

Navalny's arrest as he arrived in Moscow after recovering from his poisoning with a nerve agent drew criticism from Western nations and calls for his release.

Navalny's detention was widely expected because Russia’s prisons service said he had violated parole terms from a suspended sentence on a 2014 embezzlement conviction.

(IMAGE CREDITS:AP)