Toxin Linked to Russian Opposition Leaders Death Identified as Dart Frog Poison

Five European Countries Accuse Russia of Using Poison Dart Frog Toxin to Kill Navalny

A joint statement issued by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands on Saturday alleges that Russia used a toxin from poison dart frogs to kill Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny. The European countries claim that analyses of samples from Navalny’s body “conclusively” confirmed the presence of epibatidine, a neurotoxin found in poison dart frogs in South America.

Navalny died in February 2024 at an Arctic penal colony after being convicted of extremism and other charges, which he denied. Russian authorities stated that Navalny became ill after a walk and died from natural causes. The European countries’ joint statement rejected this explanation, stating that the presence of epibatidine “highly likely” caused his death.

The UK’s public inquiry into the poisoning of Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in 2018 concluded that Vladimir Putin must have ordered the Novichok nerve agent attack. The joint statement from the European countries added that the findings underscored the need for Russia to be held accountable for its alleged violations of international conventions.

Epibatidine is a neurotoxin secreted by dart frogs in South America, which can also be manufactured in a lab. It works similarly to nerve agents, causing shortness of breath, convulsions, seizures, and ultimately death. The Russian government has denied any responsibility for Navalny’s death, dismissing the allegations as “Western propaganda.”

Source: Al Jazeera