Disinfo: Germany has no evidence that Navalny was poisoned

Summary

Berlin did not rely on any evidence when claiming that Alexei Navalny was poisoned with Novichok, prompting Moscow to describe the incident as a charade designed to justify the imposition of new sanctions on it.

Moscow says it cannot investigate the Navalny accident in the absence of data from Germany.

Disproof

Recurring disinformation narrative surrounding the poisoning of a prominent Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny.

Navalny fell ill during a flight from Siberia to Moscow on the 20th of August. Initially hospitalised in Omsk, at the request of his family he was transferred to Charité hospital in Berlin, where clinical findings 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 the blood samples of Alexei Navalny.

By the time the EU sanctions were imposed, the fact of Navalny's poisoning with a Novichok-type agent had been solidly established and were later independently corroborated by labs in France and Sweden, and finally confirmed by the OPCW.

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.

Arne Collatz, a spokesman for Germany’s Defence Ministry said the data had been provided to the Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

“This international organisation, of which Russia is also a member, has a treaty-based mandate to oversee and enforce the ban on the use, production, storage as well as research into chemical weapons.”

Furthermore, on September 11, Berlin’s Justice Ministry approved a request from Moscow for legal assistance in the investigation and information on Navalny’s state of health, “subject to his consent”.

See related disinformation cases alleging that Russophobic Western media push the narrative of Putin’s role in Navalny poisoning, that The West punishes Russia for having chosen Putin as a president again, that the West has an interest in the death of Navalny, that only traces of alcohol and caffeine were found in Navalny's blood, that the West will falsely accuse Russia of poisoning Navalny.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 223
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 01/12/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Arabic
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Germany, Russia
  • Keywords: novichok, OPCW, Alexei Navalny, Chemical weapons/attack, Sanctions
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The Maidan turned in to a civil war. The clique seized power in the capital and immediately began suppressing the citizens who opposed the overthrow of the legitimate government. The junta began to suppress the peaceful resistance of the Southern and Eastern oblasts of Ukraine. That eventually led to a civil war in Ukraine. On the one hand, there was a fascist clique with its own Bandera ideals, on the other, those who did not recognise the coup that had taken place in the country.

Disproof

This is an example of recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the 2013-2014 Maidan protests and the war in Ukraine.

The war in eastern Ukraine was not caused by the Euromaidan. Protests in favour of EU association and reforms were held in all major cities of Donbas. The war is not a civil conflict but a well-documented act of aggression by Russian armed forces.

Disinfo: Germany violated the Chemical Weapons Convention

Germany violated the Chemical Weapons Convention by refusing to collaborate with Russia in the situation over the Alexei Navalny poisoning.

Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation claiming that Germany did not collaborate with Russia in the investigation into the poisoning of Alexei Navalny and that Germany violated the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Regarding the collaboration between Germany and Russia during the investigation, Berlin provided data on Navalny to the Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, of which Russia is a member. Berlin’s Justice Ministry also approved a request from Moscow for legal assistance in the investigation of the poisoning, and tasked state prosecutors with working with the Russian authorities.

Disinfo: By supporting protesting Belarusians Lithuania hopes to get more money from Brussels

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania presented an initiative to provide cost-free visas for Belarusians persecuted by the political regime in the home country. Lithuania is trying to show that many Belarusians do not support Alyaksandr Lukashenka as president and hope to get more money from Brussels. This initiative is bait for people who do not think about the consequences of their activities. The Lithuanian government aspires to create anti-Lukashenka and anti-Belarusian sentiment in society. The real interest of Vilnius is financial. Lithuania, as the main manipulator in the Belarusian events, seeks to get support from Brussels.

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Lithuania actively intervening into events in Belarus since the beginning of protests against Alyaksandr Lukashenka. Vilnius supports the Belarusian opposition and urges to hold new elections in the neighbour country. Belarusian authorities say that Vilnius, Warsaw and other countries are interfering in the internal affairs of Belarus and are trying to control the opposition.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Western attempts to organise a colour revolution in Belarus.

The claim that Lithuania is "intervening into events in Belarus” and seeking financial interests is unfounded. Lithuania is a neighbour of Belarus and it continues to support the Belarusian people. In the context of brutal persecution of protesters in Belarus, Lithuania made some steps to support civil society in the neighbour country. Earlier Lithuania opened the special “humanitarian corridor” for Belarusians and allow them to arrive under the so-called humanitarian exception. Vilnius University offered free studies and scholarship to Belarusian students. The proposal of issuing free national visas to Belarusians who are persecuted by the regime is only one more step to support people in needs.