Russian doctors find 'no traces of poison' in Putin critic Alexei Navalny's blood

Doctors have found no traces of poison in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s staunch critic Alexei Navalny, announced the hospital where the anti-corruption campaigner is currently admitted. During a health briefing, hospital’s deputy Anatoly Kalinichenko told reporters that full diagnosis of Navalny’s health condition is complete but he couldn’t disclose it yet.

Kira Yarmysh, the press secretary of the 44-year-old politician, claimed that a hospital’s spokesperson had informed about the presence of traces of a deadly poison in patient’s body but now the doctors have taken a U-turn. The doctors have also denied permission to release the patient to move him to Berlin on a German plane for further treatment, saying he is not well enough to be moved. 

'Waiting for poison to disappear'

Both Germany and France offered help for Navalny’s treatment and German peace foundation Cinema for Peace finally stepped in to bring the leader to Berlin. Georgy Alburov, a researcher at Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, said that the only reason not to let Navalny go on a plane with specialists is to deny him high-quality medical support and wait until the traces of the poison disappear.

Read: Alexei Navalny: Germany Sends Flight To Bring 'poisoned' Critic, Doctors Deny Permission

Read: Kremlin Critic Navalny, Day Before 'poisoning', Said His Death Won't Help Putin

After the hospital’s denial to let Navalny move out of Russia, Yarmysh said that the doctors were ready to authorise the movement but changed the decision at the last moment. She claimed that the decision was not made by the doctors but by Kremlin, as Navalny’s team has accused the current regime of attempted assassination on Putin’s critic.

“Until now, doctors have said that they are ready to authorize transportation. That is why we organized it in the shortest possible time. Now, at the last moment, doctors are not giving permission. This decision, of course, was not made by them, but by the Kremlin,” she tweeted.

Navalny strongly criticised the sweeping constitutional reforms introduced by Putin, giving himself an option to stay in power beyond term limits. He has been jailed several times over various charges including embezzlement and calling for unauthorised protests, which the Russian leader has denounced as politically motivated. He is currently in a coma in the intensive care unit after he fell unconscious during a flight due to alleged poisoning, which the doctors have now denied. 

Read: Alexei Navalny: Know Russia’s Anti-corruption Campaigner Whom Putin ‘fears’ The Most

Read: Russia's Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny In Coma After Suspected Poisoning

(Image: AP)