On the second anniversary of Alexei Navalny's death, a joint statement from five European countries has confirmed that he was poisoned by the Kremlin using epibatidine, a rare and lethal toxin derived from dart frogs. This assertion aligns with the claims made by Navalny's mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, who stated, 'He was murdered,' emphasizing that her son did not 'simply die in prison.' The UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, noted the seriousness of these allegations, suggesting that the choice of such an exotic poison may have been intended to send a message, although experts indicate that the intent remains ambiguous. The toxin, which can cause muscle paralysis and asphyxiation, was found in Navalny's body, challenging Russia's official account of his death (Global News, February 16, 2026; The Guardian, February 16, 2026; New York Times, February 16, 2026).