In a surprising move, Russia has invited the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the leading international chemical weapons watchdog, to aid them in the investigation of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, a critic of the Kremlin. German, Sweedish, and French medical authorities all confirmed that the outspoken Putin critic had been poisoned with the Soviet-era military-grade nerve agent Novichok. The incident has drawn international condemnation, with many suspecting the Russian ruling authorities to be at fault for Navalny’s near-death.
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons stated it had received a request from Moscow to deploy a team to Russia, further stating that it was still in negotiations for what kind of assistance the country needs. The request was likely a move to quell concerns that Moscow was dragging its feet on beginning a full investigation into the poisoning of the opposition leader. Navalny almost died after boarding a plane and experiencing the extreme effects of the nerve agent while on the plane. Navalny was then transported to Germany, where he received most of his care.
Read More: Moscow Invites Chemical-Weapons Watchdog to Russia in Navalny Poisoning