At least three Russia critics were targets of poisoning since 2021, claims new report

At least three critics of Russia have allegedly been targeted in suspected poisoning attacks since 2021, according to a new report.

Natalia Arno, who heads Free Russia Foundation, a US-based non-profit that fights Russian repression, said she was poisoned by “some nerve agent” while on a recent trip to Europe.

“There is a suspicion that during my recent trip to Europe I was poisoned, possibly by some nerve agent, investigated by one… Western intelligence agency, I still have neuropathy symptoms, but overall I feel much better,” she said in a social media post, according to The Daily Beast, that cited a recent report from independent Russian news outlet Agentsvo.

Ms Arno’s symptoms set in while she was on a trip to the Czech Republic early this month, according to Agentsvo.

The outlet said at least two other Kremlin critics have reportedly been targeted in suspected poisoning attacks.

This includes a Russian journalist, whose identity was not disclosed by Agentsvo and who told the outlet that she developed likely poisoning symptoms as well.

The report said the journalist had recently left Russia and had gone to Berlin-based hospital Charite to receive treatment – the same hospital where Russian dissident Alexei Navalny was admitted after being poisoned.

The journalist and Ms Arno were in Berlin for a meeting of Russia critics on 29-30 April that was organised by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a self-exiled Russian businessman and critic of Vladimir Putin, according to the report.

In 2021, former US ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst had fallen ill as well.

A statement from the Atlantic Council, where Mr Herbst now works, said: “In April 2021 he grew ill and experienced symptoms that could have been consistent with poisoning, including elevated levels of toxins in his blood. Medical professionals treated Ambassador Herbst effectively at the time but could not definitively conclude there was poisoning involved.

“The Atlantic Council worked with federal law enforcement on this matter, who later also took a blood sample from Ambassador Herbst, and the lab results failed to detect toxic compounds.”

The report also said Christo Grozev, an executive at investigative journalism group Bellingcat, which previously investigated Russian poisoning schemes, was the target of a hotel room break-in.

In 2020, Russian intelligence likely used nerve agent Novichok to poison Russian opposition figure Navalny, according to the US State Department.

According to Ms Arno, Russian critics need to be cautious.

“Moral: Russians who had to leave Putin’s Russia, but who abroad continue to fight firmly and decisively against the war, against Putin’s regime and for a free and democratic Russia, need to understand that the enemy has long legs, there is the possibility to expose us to danger outside Russia, so we must always be vigilant,” she was quoted as saying.