Alexey Navalny released from German hospital after 32 days

PTI, Sep 23, 2020, 1:28 PM IST

Berlin: The German hospital treating Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny for poisoning says his condition improved enough for him to be released from the facility.

The Charite hospital in Berlin said Wednesday that after 32 days in care, Navalny’s condition “improved sufficiently for him to be discharged from acute inpatient care.”

The hospital said that Navalny had been discharged on Tuesday.

The hospital says that “based on the patient’s progress and current condition, the treating physicians believe that complete recovery is possible,” but that it’s still too early to gauge the potential long-term effects of his poisoning.

Navalny, the most visible opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was flown to Germany two days after falling ill on August 20 on a domestic flight in Russia.

German chemical weapons experts have determined that the 44-year-old was poisoned with a Soviet-era nerve agent, prompting Berlin to demand that Russia investigate the case.

Navalny was kept in an induced coma for more than two weeks as he was treated with an antidote.

Members of his team accused the Kremlin of involvement in the poisoning, charges that Russian officials have vehemently denied.

The Kremlin has bristled at calls from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders to answer questions about the poisoning.