Russian Opposition Leader Navalny Hospitalized with Suspected Poisoning

Well-known Putin critic, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been hospitalized with suspected poisoning, his press secretary has said.

"Kira Yarmysh said Mr. Navalny fell ill shortly after takeoff on an early morning flight from Tomsk, Siberia to Moscow. The pilot was forced to make an emergency stop 500 miles away in Omsk, where he was rushed to a hospital. Doctors concluded he had been poisoned via a hot liquid," The Independent reports.

“We believe Alexei was poisoned by something mixed into his tea,” Ms. Yarmysh wrote. “It was the only thing he drank in the morning.”

In an interview with the Russian publication MediaZona, the press secretary said Mr Navalny drank the tea in the airport just before boarding. He began to feel ill on the plane, she said, and was sweating.

“I asked him whether some water would help, and he said no. Then he went to the toilet, and lost consciousness.”

As reported by local media, Mr. Navalny spent some time in intensive care and on a ventilator but has since regained consciousness. He is speaking and moving around with difficulty.

By Ana Dumbadze 

Source: The Independent 

Image: AFP/Getty