On 3 July, the European Council implemented sanctions against six individuals, primarily scientists and researchers, associated with the development of the toxin responsible for the death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
The European Union indicated that these individuals were involved in the creation of chemical weapons, particularly epibatidine, which was detected in samples obtained from Navalny’s body following his death.
It is noteworthy that this toxin is derived from poison dart frogs native to South America and is not naturally present in Russia.
In response, the Russian government has requested that European countries alleging Moscow’s involvement in Navalny’s poisoning provide substantial evidence to support their accusations. Individuals named in the sanctions face asset freezes and travel restrictions to the European Union.
