Russian opposition politician apparently poisoned

Russian opposition politician Elvira Vichareva has apparently been poisoned. The Russian independent newspaper “Sota” reported on Friday, based on laboratory tests, that potassium dichromate had been found in Vichareva’s blood. This is a highly toxic and carcinogenic substance that can cause serious harm to health even in small doses.

A test last December reportedly found 2.3 milligrams of the poison, and another in February found 1.6 milligrams. Vicharewa told Sota that she noticed the first symptoms in late November and early December. In addition to abdominal pain, an accelerated heartbeat and numbness in the arms and legs, she also complained of muscle cramps, fainting and hair loss.

The politician runs a YouTube channel and has repeatedly spoken out against Putin’s war on Ukraine. You must “resist” the “inhumane conditions” in Russia, she recently wrote in an Instagram post.

In 2022, Vikhareva wanted to run for city council in her Moscow district, but a court banned her from running due to irregularities in her registration documents. Vikharewa is a former associate of well-known Russian opposition activist Dimitri Gudkov. The former State Duma deputy now lives in exile.

It is not yet clear who is responsible for Vicharewa’s poisoning. However, in the past, Kremlin critics in Russia have been poisoned time and time again, including Alexei Navalny, whose case is known all over the world. (t-online, dm)

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