“There is no innocent explanation for the presence of this toxin in Navalny's body,” Britain said in a statement on Saturday.
But the poisoning was the “very likely cause of his death,” the five countries said in a joint statement on Saturday. Sky News reported that British scientists from Porton Down, a secret British laboratory, played a key role in the findings.
Navalny, who had long been a thorn in Russian President Vladimir Putin's side, was filmed the day before his death during a court hearing, where he was joking and appeared to be in a good mood.
The oppositionist's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, presented the research results on Saturday on the sidelines of the Munich security conference, together with the foreign ministers of European countries. She stressed that there is now clear evidence that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is a murderer.
In a separate statement, the UK said the circumstances of Navalny's death were “brutal and barbaric”.
Representatives of five countries associated with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons wrote to its Director General informing him of Russia's alleged violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
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Britain declared Navalny dead is part of a 'worrying trend' in Russia's behavior. She referred to the use of Novichok in the UK in 2018, which led to the death of a British woman, and the “frequent use of chemical weapons by Russian troops on the battlefield in Ukraine.”
Russia's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“The Russian regime shows its ugly face”
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, in an interview with “Die Welt”, reacted extremely sharply to the evidence of the poisoning of Russian oppositionist Alexei Navalny two years ago.
— The Russian regime is once again showing its ugly face. We currently have a high scientific probability that it was poisoning, said the politician, who attended a press conference with Navalnaya during the Munich summit.
Yulia Navalna, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul issue a press statement regarding the circumstances of Alexei Navalny's death on the sidelines of the 62nd Munich Security Conference, February 14, 2026.KAY NIETFELD / DPA / dpa Picture-Alliance via AFP / AFP
“This is, of course, terrible news,” said the minister. — This shows that Putin does not care about humanitarian issues, but also about legal issues, such as the ban on the use of chemical weapons, he added.
Referring to Putin, the German Foreign Minister said in an interview for Die Welt that “this shows that he is not only ready to wage a war in Ukraine that violates international law, in particular by attacking the population there, but also to illegally imprison his greatest enemy and even kill him.” — And this must have consequences – he emphasized.
Wadephul called on the organization responsible for prohibiting the use of chemical weapons to take up the matter: “This means that we must also defend our rules-based order and use all the means at our disposal,” he appealed.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
