Russia: Doctor who treated Putin critic Navalny after poisoning dies due to heart attack

A top doctor at the Omsk emergency hospital in Russia, who treated opposition leader Alexey Navalny, last summer after he was poisoned has now died. Sergey Maximishin died ‘suddenly’ at the age of 55. A Russian Health Ministry spokeswoman said that the doctor died of a heart attack after he was taken to the hospital due to an increased blood pressure. “With regret, we inform you that...the deputy chief physician for anesthesiology and resuscitation of the emergency hospital №1, assistant of the department of Omsk State Medical University, PhD of medical sciences Maksimishin Sergey Valentinovich suddenly passed away”, read the statement by the hospital. 

Read: Over 1000 Detained As Russian Protesters Rally In Support Of Opposition Leader Navalny

Navalny was allegedly poisoned last year in August as he fell ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow. He was taken to the hospital but Russian doctors ruled out poisoning and put him in an artificial coma. Navalny was flown to Germany from Russia at the request of his family and close aides. German doctors and the government announced days later that Navalny was indeed poisoned using Novichok, a Soviet-era nerve agent.

Poisoning blamed on state 

The poisoning was blamed on the Russian state, which dismissed the allegations and demanded more proof for starting an investigation in the country. Navalny came out of the coma in September 2020 and months later he expressed his desire to return to Russia. Before Navalny's return, Russian prison authorities had issued a warning asking Navalny to return as soon as possible or face jail for violating 2014 suspended sentence terms. When Navalny got back to Russia, he was arrested by authorities, which sparked widespread protests across the country on January 23. 

Read: Navalny Makes Heart Gesture To Wife Before Guards Take Him Away, Watch The Emotional Video

he city of Novosibirsk in eastern Siberia experienced one of the biggest rallies. Thousands were seen marching on the streets and chanting, ‘“Putin, thief!”. In Moscow, authorities have introduced unprecedented security measures. Subway stations near the Kremlin were also closed. Restaurants and stores were also asked to stay shut.

Read: Alexei Navalny Sentenced To Over 2 Years In Prison By Russian Court

Also Read: Russia Detains 4,000 Protesters For Storming Streets Of Moscow Over Navalny's Arrest

(Image Credits: AP)