Fresh Demands for UK to Reopen Russian Whistleblower Death Inquiry
British authorities are confronting mounting pressure to relaunch an investigation into the sudden demise of a Russian whistleblower over a decade ago, as concerns intensify that he may have succumbed to a poison akin to the substance that killed opposition figure Alexei Navalny. The case centres on Alexander Perepilichny, a businessman who exposed organised crime and corruption in Russia, who collapsed and died while jogging near his residence in Weybridge, Surrey, in 2012.
Inquest Findings and Police Failures
An inquest conducted six years later concluded that the 44-year-old died from natural causes, yet it notably suggested he might have been poisoned due to vomiting symptoms. Despite initial police rulings dismissing foul play, subsequent discoveries revealed traces of a chemical associated with the extremely rare poisonous plant gelsemium elegans in his stomach. Financial firm Hermitage Capital Management asserted at the time that Perepilichny could have been deliberately targeted for assisting in uncovering a multimillion-pound fraud involving Russian officials.
The coroner highlighted significant errors by Surrey Police, including a series of blunders that resulted in a critical lack of evidence. These missteps involved the loss or disregard of vital materials, such as the contents of Perepilichny’s stomach, which could have altered the investigation's outcome. Additionally, police failed to review CCTV footage from the area where he collapsed, further hampering efforts to determine the truth.
Parallels to Navalny's Death
On Saturday, the United Kingdom, alongside Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, and France, accused the Russian state of orchestrating the killing of 47-year-old Alexei Navalny in a Siberian penal colony. Navalny had been sentenced to 19 years' imprisonment on dubious embezzlement charges, with his death announced by Russian authorities on February 16, 2024. His allies immediately blamed the Kremlin, citing the political threat he posed.
In a joint statement, the five nations disclosed that laboratory analysis identified traces of epibatidine in Navalny's body, a toxin linked to South American dart frogs. Bill Browder, who collaborated with Perepilichny to expose a $230 million money-laundering operation in Russia, expressed alarm at the similarities between the two deaths. He told The Telegraph, 'We were trying to determine what type of poison was used on Alexander Perepilichny in 2012, and with this new information on the Navalny poisoning, it has many similarities.'
Calls for Accountability and Reopening the Case
Browder criticised Surrey Police for hastily concluding the death as non-suspicious, which led to evidence not being preserved. He emphasised, 'In light of this new evidence in the Navalny case and all the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of Alexander... I would hope that the UK would reopen the case that they so negligently closed for "lack of crime".' Epibatidine, found naturally on the skin of Ecuadorian dart frogs, causes a painful death through paralysis and respiratory arrest if ingested, and can also be synthesised artificially.
Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny's widow, stated on Sunday night that Vladimir Putin 'must be held accountable'. She extended gratitude to Britain and its allies for establishing that her husband's death two years ago was likely caused by the neurotoxin. As these revelations emerge, the push for a renewed probe into Perepilichny's death gains momentum, underscoring ongoing concerns about transnational threats and justice.
