Overview
- Collaborative laboratory analyses by the UK, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands report epibatidine in samples from Alexei Navalny’s body.
- The governments say Russia had the means, motive and opportunity to administer the toxin and have notified the chemical weapons watchdog.
- Russian officials deny the allegation, maintain Navalny died of natural causes, and seek publication of the test details before further comment.
- British scientists at Porton Down are reported to have played a key role in the findings, while the provenance and chain of custody of the samples remain unclear.
- The announcement at the Munich Security Conference comes near the second anniversary of Navalny’s death, with the UK weighing further coordinated sanctions.