An outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin is said to be recovering after he was placed into a coma following an alleged poisoning two weeks ago.
New information published in the German magazine Der Spiegel on Thursday indicated that Alexei Navalny had regained the ability to speak after he was stricken by a Soviet-era chemical agent while traveling on a plane between Tomsk and Moscow on Aug. 20.
According to the magazine, doctors believe Navalny “can likely remember details about his collapse” although the spokesman for Navalny cautioned against taking the Der Spiegel’s report at full stock, arguing that the piece “is exaggerated and contains many factual inaccuracies.”
Navalny was taken to a hospital in Serbia after he fell ill and was placed into a medically-induced coma which German doctors argue saved his life. Navalny was flown out of Serbia on an emergency plane to Berlin that was organized by the Cinema for Peace Foundation in Germany.
Russian officials have criticized reports that Navalny was poisoned by a Soviet-era nerve agent and have said they will not launch an investigation into the health of the 44-year-old until evidence is shown proving that he was poisoned.
On Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said there is a “substantial chance” that senior officials at the Kremlin ordered the attack on Navalny.
