Kadyrov
© Reuters/SputnikHead of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov
Head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov has told opposition figure Alexey Navalny to blame him for his alleged poisoning, claiming that it is "more convincing and plausible" than the accusation thrown at Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Writing on Telegram, Kadyrov accused Navalny of blaming Putin "without any evidence." The opposition figure told German magazine Der Spiegel that he believes Putin organized the alleged Novichok attack, saying that he has "no other explanation for what happened." According to Kadyrov, this accusation is "ridiculous."
"Thanks to Putin, there's a tolerant attitude toward the opposition in the country...If there were an eccentric head of state, all the radical opposition scum would have been thrown out of the country long ago with far-fetched excuses."
According to Kadyrov, Navalny is:
"a toy in the hands of those who want the collapse of Russia. Why didn't you name me, Kadyrov, as the culprit or the customer [of the poisoning], to make it more convincing and plausible? At least it wouldn't look as ridiculous."
Following the opposition figure's interview with Der Spiegel, Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin called him a "shameless scoundrel," declaring that Putin had saved his life.

Navalny was hospitalized in the Siberian city of Omsk on August 20, after he became ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow. Two days later, after a request from his family and associates, the activist was flown to Berlin for treatment at the city's Charité clinic. Over a week later, German authorities announced that the anti-corruption activist was poisoned with a substance from the Novichok group of nerve agents. The medical team in Omsk denies that any poison was found in Navalny's body. On September 23, he was discharged from hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.