DISINFO: West rejects uncomfortable questions about Navalny

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

DISINFO: West rejects uncomfortable questions about Navalny

SUMMARY

The West rejects any uncomfortable questions and independent assessments regarding the hospitalisation of blogger Alexei Navalny. Any deviation from the logic of unfounded accusations, which reveals the bias of the West’s position is rejected immediately. Any suggestions to talk with facts on hand and exchange data are completely blocked.

Both France and Germany do not respond to requests for the results of Navalny’s analyses and legal aid. Paris has become one of the latest actors to join the information campaign of pressure on Russia applying double standards and disregarding elementary diplomatic politeness. German and France declared their incompetence in the Navalny case as soon as Russia offered to speak in the language of facts. They say to Russia: “We in Berlin, in France, are no experts on this topic, of which we accuse you [Russia].”

RESPONSE

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on the poisoning of a prominent Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny.

Contrary to what is stated in the disinformation claim, the accusations put forward by the West for the reasons behind the hospitalisation of the ‘blogger’, as pro-Kremlin media often refer to Navalny, are based on indisputable facts. Clinical findings at Charité hospital in Berlin, where Navalny was transferred from Omsk at the request of his family, indicated that he was poisoned with a substance from the group of cholinesterase inhibitors. Subsequent toxicological tests provided unequivocal evidence of a chemical nerve agent of the Novichok group in his blood samples.

After Germany requested its technical assistance, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), of which Russia is a member, issued a statement verifying previous statements by the German authorities. Several reports have indicated that the OPCW tests showed that blood and urine samples contained a "cholinesterase inhibitor" similar to two Novichok chemicals that were banned by the Hague-based body in 2019. The OPCW findings corroborated earlier independent conclusions by German, French, and Swedish laboratories.

Also, Germany has responded to past Russian calls for Navalny's medical samples by saying that Russia should already have all it needs after its initial treatment of the dissident. Germany also informed Russia via diplomatic channels on the progress of the investigation. Read further debunking of this claim in our previous case “Germany misleads the world about Navalny case”.

There is no proof to support the claim that France joined an alleged anti-Russian campaign.

Read similar disinformation cases alleging that the West did not respond to Russian initiatives to cooperate on the Navalny case, that Navalny was allegedly poisoned with Novichok, but no proof was provided and that Navalny prevented Germany sending evidence to Russia.

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

    %s

      Your opinion matters!

      Data Protection Information *

        Subscribe to the Disinfo Review

        Your weekly update on pro-Kremlin disinformation

        Data Protection Information *

        The Disinformation Review is sent through Mailchimp.com. See Mailchimp’s privacy policy and find out more on how EEAS protects your personal data.

        🎵 Playlist