Putin speaks out for the first time after the poison attack on Navalny

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Russia's President Vladimir Putin

Photo: Alexei Druzhinin / imago images / ITAR-TASS

Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first statement on the Alexei Navalny case.

According to his own account, he made it possible for his political opponent to leave for Germany himself after his alleged poisoning.

He asked the prosecutor to clear the way for Nawalny's treatment - although there were restrictions on the 44-year-old due to pending criminal proceedings.

Putin said this at an expert forum broadcast on state television.

"If the power apparatus had wanted to poison the figurine, it would probably not have allowed him to fly out to Germany," said Putin.

The Kremlin emphasized in August that Putin was not involved in the departure.

Now Putin said in his first personal statement on the case that he had responded to a written request from Navalny's wife.

He never calls Navalny by name.

"Give us evidence!"

Wladimir Putin

Navalny collapsed on a flight in Siberia on August 20 and was flown to Germany for treatment two days later.

According to the findings of a special Bundeswehr laboratory, Navalny was poisoned with warfare agents from the Novichok group.

Laboratories in France and Sweden are also said to have confirmed this.

The neurotoxin is outlawed internationally.

Navalny had personally blamed Putin for the attack.

He also stated that Russia had severely delayed the transfer to Germany because the Kremlin had hoped that the poison would no longer be detectable in the body after arrival.

Putin complained on Thursday that no documents for a crime had yet been presented to Russia.

"Give us evidence!" He said.

At the same time, he offered that Russian experts could participate in a possible international investigation into the case.

The Kremlin chief said there could be no investigation in Russia until there was evidence of a crime.

Navalny immediately made fun of Twitter that Putin was still trying to act as his savior.

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kfr / dpa