At the beginning of the week, five European countries released a statement that marked a breakthrough in the investigation of the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, revealing that he was poisoned with frog poison. This unexpected finding raises questions not only about the nature of the poison used, called epibatidine, but also about the individuals responsible for the attack and their motivations. Investigators are now focused on uncovering who ordered this assassination and how the poison was sourced.

Epibatidine, a highly toxic alkaloid extracted from the skin of the three-colored poison dart frog, is significantly more potent than morphine, with an analgesic effect two hundred times stronger. This is why it has not been utilized in medicine despite early interest from pharmaceutical companies following its discovery in the 1990s. The poison primarily acts on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, proteins that transmit nerve signals, leading to severe and potentially fatal effects. This method of poisoning marks a chilling development in the methods used against political figures, particularly given its obscure and rare source.

The revelations surrounding Navalny’s poisoning not only highlight the lengths to which his attackers went but also raise urgent questions about the broader implications for political safety and human rights in Russia. As the investigation continues, there is an urgent need for accountability and transparency regarding state-sponsored violence against dissidents. This incident serves as a dire reminder of the ongoing risks faced by opposition leaders and the contentious political climate in which they operate.