Berlin Says Did Not Receive Response To OPCW Request On Navalny Case From Moscow

Germany has not yet received a response from Russia to the request from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) concerning the alleged poisoning case of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny, Christopher Burger, a spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry, told Sputnik on Friday

BERLIN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th October, 2021) Germany has not yet received a response from Russia to the request from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) concerning the alleged poisoning case of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny, Christopher Burger, a spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry, told Sputnik on Friday.

"At the moment, we have not received such a response," Burger said.

On Thursday, the United States and 44 other countries sent to Russia a list of questions on the Navalny case through the OPCW channels, saying they expected answers within 10 days.

Russia's Permanent Representative to the OPCW Alexander Shulgin said that Moscow responded to the request and sent a counter-request addressed to Germany and several other OPCW countries asking to clarify certain aspects within a 10-day period. He also noted that the West has been using Navalny's alleged poisoning to put pressure on Russia, and called the lists of questions to Moscow a "gross provocation."

The French Foreign Ministry confirmed on Friday the receipt of the verbal note from Russia on the OPCW request.

Last August, Navalny fell ill on a domestic Russian flight. He was initially treated in the Siberian city of Omsk, where the plane made an emergency landing. Based on the results of the examinations, the Omsk doctors concluded that Navalny had a metabolic disorder, while no poison substances were found in his blood and urine.

Several days later, Navalny was flown to the Charite hospital in Berlin for further treatment. The German government claimed that doctors found traces of a nerve agent of the Novichok type in his system. A number of countries and media outlets speculated that there was evidence of foul play by Moscow. Russia has since denied any involvement in the case.

Moscow believes that the incident was a provocation aimed at discrediting Russia, since Berlin is yet to show any tangible evidence in support of its accusations. Moscow has also pointed out multiple times that the OPCW ignored Russian requests for assistance, hindering the investigation.