This bizarre method of execution is not an isolated quirk of history but part of a long-standing, grisly tradition of using unconventional means to silence political adversaries. Representational image/AI-generated
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News1815-02-2026, 08:00

Navalny's Death: Poison Dart Frog Neurotoxin Used, Echoes History's Bizarre Political Killings

  • Five European nations confirm Alexei Navalny was killed by a neurotoxin from a South American poison dart frog, epibatidine.
  • The joint intelligence report asserts only a state actor could have deployed such a rare biological weapon, contradicting Russia's 'natural causes' claim.
  • History reveals other bizarre political killings: Ricin-tipped umbrella (Georgi Markov, 1978), Polonium-210 in tea (Alexander Litvinenko, 2006).
  • Other unconventional methods include VX nerve agent face-mist (Kim Jong-nam, 2017), dioxin soup (Viktor Yushchenko, 2004).
  • An attempted assassination involved fentanyl ear-spray (Khaled Meshaal, 1997), where the antidote was later provided under duress.

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