European Union sanctions Russian scientists over Navalny poisoning

The European Union Council announced sanctions on six Russian citizens—scientists and military researchers—suspected of developing the toxin epibatidine, also known as frog‑poison toxin, that was identified as the likely cause of Alexei Navalny’s fatal poisoning. The individuals include Igor Babkin, head of a laboratory at the SC Signal centre, Irina Dereviaghina, a chemical‑research analyst at the State Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and Technology, and Mihail Guțaliuk, head of a department at the Russian Military Academy of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defence, among others.

The sanctions freeze the assets of the listed persons, prohibit them from receiving funds or resources, and bar them from travelling to the EU. After this measure, a total of 31 individuals and six entities are listed under the EU’s restrictive measures against the proliferation and use of chemical weapons. The EU reiterated its commitment to the Chemical Weapons Convention. Navalny, the Russian opposition leader, died on 16 February 2024 in a prison colony after suffering from the toxin, a conclusion reached by experts from five European countries.