In this photo taken from a video published by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on his instagram account, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny walks down stairs in a hospital in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020. Navalny, who is being treated in a German hospital for suspected poisoning by a nerve agent, says on social media that he is recovering verbal and physical abilities despite despairing at first. (Navalny Instagram via AP)
BERLIN — The German hospital treating Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny for poisoning said Wednesday his condition improved enough for him to be released from the facility.
The Charite hospital in Berlin said 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 Aug. 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.