Germany and allies call out Russia for answers on Navalny poisoning

The German government and its allies have called for Russian answers onKremlin critic AlexeiNavalny'spoisoning to fully investigate the matter.

Earlier, the global chemical weapons watchdog OPCW confirmed that the blood and urine samples taken fromNavalnyin Germany by the watchdog's own experts contained"cholinesterase inhibitor",a type of Novichoknerve agent.

Also see:The curious case of Russian Kremlin critics who were allegedly poisoned

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OPCW chief Fernando Arias "considered that these results constitute a matter of grave concern," the Hague-based watchdog said in a statement.

The traces "have similar structural characteristics as the toxic chemicals" found in two Novichok chemicals that were banned by the Hague-based body in 2019, it said.

The specific type of Novichok found in theNavalnysamples was however not itself one of those placed on the banned list last year, the OPCW added.

They came asNavalnysaid in an interview that he hoped to return to Russia within months, while showing his trembling hands as evidence of the nerve damage he suffered.

German Ambassador Gudrun Lingner said in a statement to the Executive Council meeting of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons,“It is up to Russia — where the chemical attack occurred — to shed light on the incident, and to provide an explanation on how a chemical nerve agent came to be used in a reckless act against a Russian citizen on Russian soil.”

"The next steps will be discussed in the Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and with the EU partners," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a statement to reporters.

"Any use of chemical weapons is totally unacceptable and won't go without a response," Maas added.

Western powers have demanded answers from Russia over the poisoning, whileNavalnyhimself has blamed the Kremlin.

Navalnywas airlifted to Berlin for treatment after falling ill on a flight in Siberia on August20 and Germany and other Western governments have called on Russia to help in investigations into what happened.

Navalnyhas been discharged from hospital and plans to return to Russia.

Moscow has denied accusations byNavalnythat it was involved in the poisoning.

A spokesman for GermanChancellor Angela Merkel had said the countrywill not rule out consequences for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project if Russia fails to thoroughly investigate the incident.

Asked whether Merkel would protect the multi-billion-euro pipeline from Russia to Europe if Germany were to seek sanctions over the Navalny case, spokesman Steffen Seibert said: "The chancellor believes it would be wrong to rule anything out from the start."

Nord Stream 2, a $11-billionpipeline near completion beneath the Baltic Sea, is set to double Russian natural-gas shipments to Germany, Europe's largest economy.

It has long been in the crosshairs of the United States, which has criticised European countries for their reliance on energy from Russia.