Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny passed away on Friday at a ‘special regime’ penal colony in Russia. The stunning news — less than a month before an election that will give Vladimir Putin another six years in power — brought renewed criticism and outrage directed at the President. The situation is also reminiscent of the backlash that followed a Novichok nerve agent attack against the activist and politician in 2020.
India had reiterated its ‘clear and consistent’ stance on chemical weapons after the attack as officials took note of the developments. New Delhi however stopped short of seeking explanations from Moscow or lashing out at Vladimir Putin over the matter — a deviation from the stance adopted by numerous Western nations.
“India has been firmly opposed to any use of chemical weapons anywhere, at any time, by anybody, under any circumstances. With regard to any allegations of use and investigations conducted in this regard, we urge that the provisions and procedures laid down in the Convention be strictly adhered to by the OPCW and the concerns be addressed on the basis of cooperation among all parties concerned,” then ambassador Venu Rajamony had said.
Navalny was admitted to hospital in Siberia in August 2020 after losing consciousness during a flight. He was transferred to a Berlin hospital where tests showed he was poisoned with a Soviet-era nerve agent called Novichok. Navalny had blamed Putin for the poisoning — an accusation that had been denied by the Kremlin.
He had eventually returned to Moscow after recuperating in Germany and was immediately arrested. He had since received three prison sentences, all of which he rejected as politically motivated.
(With inputs from agencies)
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