Published 15:13 IST, August 22nd 2020
Putin's critic Alexei Navalny 'stable' after landing in Berlin for treatment
Putin’s critic Alexei Navalny, who has been in a coma, arrived in Germany for treatment of suspected poisoning, his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh’s informed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s critic Alexei Navalny, who has been in a coma, arrived in Germany for treatment of suspected poisoning, according to his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh’s tweet. Navalny was flown from Russia to Germany after doctors allowed him to be airlifted for further treatment. The 44-year-old Putin critic was taken ill on a plane and was admitted to the intensive care unit on August 20. While speaking to an international media outlet, Jaka Bizilj, the head of the Cinema for Peace NGO, informed that Navalny's condition is 'stable'.
Navalny’s family and his supporters had vouched for the politician and corruption investigator to be taken to a top German medical clinic. The 44-year-old’s wife Yulia Navalny had even written to the Russian President requesting her husband’s immediate transfer. Eventually, the German doctors were ‘allowed’ to see Navalny and said they will be able to airlift the patient out of the local Siberian hospital to Berlin.
Navalny to be treated at Charite hospital in Berlin
As per reports, Navalny's plane landed at 8:47 am local time (0647 GMT) at the military wing of Tegel airport after a day-long standoff over his medical evacuation. After two days, the Russian authorities allowed his transportation abroad. Navalny will reportedly be treated at the Charite hospital in Berlin.
Earlier, Russia's news agency had quoted deputy chief doctor Anatoly Kalinichenko saying that Alexei Navalny’s condition is ‘stable’. Doctors have suggested ‘metabolic disorder’ due to low blood sugar causing Navalny to fall into a coma. Then, the health officials also indicated that there were certain traces of an industrial chemical that were found in the skin and hair of the 44-year-old.
Navalny’s spokesperson Kira Yarmysh is reported to have said that it is a matter of shame that the Russian doctors took so long to approve his flight to Germany even though the documents were signed on Friday morning. Putin’s critic will be taken to Germany on Saturday morning.
Alexei Navalny is known to have consistently exposed official corruption in Russia and has also served jail time in several instances. Despite the narrative put forth by the doctors, his supporters have claimed that a poisonous substance was put in his tea at an airport cafe in the city of Tomsk while he was on his way to Moscow.
(Image: AP)
Updated 15:13 IST, August 22nd 2020