EU sanctions six individuals involved in Navalny’s poisoning and death
European Union foreign ministers decided on July 3 to impose restrictive measures on six Russian individuals involved in the development of chemical weapons, notably epibatidine, a toxin found in samples taken from Alexei Navalny’s body after his death in a Russian penal colony, the Council of the EU said.
The finding of the toxin led to the conclusion that poisoning with epibatidine was highly likely the cause of Navalny’s death, the statement said.
The individuals listed on July 3 are scientists and researchers within the military sphere.
Some of them have worked for the Signal Scientific Centre (also known as SC Signal), where they researched and published articles on the synthesis of epibatidine, thereby being involved in its development as a chemical weapon.
These listings include Igor Babkin, the head of SC Signal’s laboratory.
Furthermore, the Council of the EU is listing Irina Derevyagina, a chemical research analyst at Russia’s State Research Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology (GosNIIOKhT) that is a central part of the Russian Chemical Weapons programme, and Mikhail Gutsalyuk, the head of the department for organising scientific work and preparing scientific and paedagogical staff at the Military Academy of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defence.
EU restrictive measures against the use and proliferation of chemical weapons now apply to a total of 31 individuals and six entities.
Those listed under the sanctions regime are subject to an asset freeze and the provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, to them or for their benefit is prohibited. Additionally, a travel ban to the EU applies to the natural persons listed.
The EU remains fully committed to countering the proliferation and use of chemical weapons, and to supporting the provisions laid down by the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction (CWC), the statement said.
The relevant legal acts have been published in the Official Journal of the EU.
