Poisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s condition has improved, allowing doctors to take him out of an induced coma, the German hospital treating him has said.
Mr Navalny, a fierce, high-profile critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was flown to Germany last month after falling ill on August 20 on a domestic flight in Russia.
German chemical weapons experts say toxicology tests show the 44-year-old was poisoned with Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok, prompting the German Government last week to demand that Russia investigate the case.
“The patient has been removed from his medically induced coma and is being weaned off mechanical ventilation,” Berlin’s Charite hospital said in a statement.
“He is responding to verbal stimuli. It remains too early to gauge the potential long-term effects of his severe poisoning.”
It added that the decision to publicly release details of his condition was made in consultation with Navalny’s wife.
Mr Navalny had been in an induced coma in the Berlin hospital since he was flown to Germany on August 22 for treatment.
More to come.
