For Russian intelligence, poison has long been a weapon of choice
Navalny who has likened Putin and his party to a gang of crooks and thieves was well aware of the risks. Decades ago, Russian intelligences penchant for poisonings was the stuff of Cold War legend. While he could still speak and communicate, Litvinenko, who had worked as a consultant to British intelligence, laid the blame for his death on Putin. A British inquiry eventually concluded that the Russian president had most likely personally ordered the poisoning. He seemingly believed himself safe, but former spymaster Putin was reported to take betrayals such as his very personally.
latimes.comToxic tea: Multiple Russians hit by suspected poisonings
MOSCOW When Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny collapsed in an airplane bathroom Thursday, his supporters immediately suspected poisoning. If true, he wouldnt be the first prominent, outspoken Russian to be the target of toxic attack. A British inquiry found that Russian agents had killed Litvinenko, probably with President Vladimir Putin's approval. At the time of Litvinenkos poisoning, he had been investigating the killing of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya three weeks earlier. PYOTR VERZILOVVerzilov, a member of Russian protest group Pussy Riot, ended up in an intensive care unit after a suspected poisoning in 2018 and had to be flown to Berlin for treatment.