Russian Embassy Rejects Canada's Accusations Over Navalny's Death

Ambassador Oleg Stepanov says the statements "lack any supporting evidence".

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The Russian embassy in Ottawa has rejected accusations by the Canadian authorities in connection with statements by European countries about the poisoning of blogger Alexey Navalny. Ambassador Oleg Stepanov said the allegations are "unfounded and lack any supporting evidence" and accused the Canadian government of "engaging in political point-scoring over a person's death".

Why it matters

This diplomatic dispute highlights the ongoing tensions between Russia and Western countries over the circumstances surrounding Navalny's death, which Russia has disputed. The Russian government has denied any involvement and accused Western nations of making unsubstantiated claims.

The details

In a statement, Ambassador Stepanov said the Canadian government has "no right to comment on Russia's internal affairs" and called on Canada to adhere to the principle of non-interference. The allegations stem from a joint statement by Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, and France, which claimed Navalny was poisoned with a toxin found in the skin of an Ecuadorian tree frog. However, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed these claims as "misinformation intended to distract from Western countries' pressing problems".

  • On February 14, 2026, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, and France released a joint statement about Navalny's poisoning.

The players

Oleg Stepanov

The Russian ambassador to Canada who rejected the Canadian government's accusations over Navalny's death.

Maria Zakharova

The spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry who dismissed the allegations from Western countries as "misinformation".

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What they’re saying

“We categorically reject the allegations made by the Canadian side. They are unfounded and lack any supporting evidence. The Canadian government is engaging in political point-scoring over a person's death. This is both cynical and immoral.”

— Oleg Stepanov, Russian Ambassador to Canada

“Furthermore, the Canadian government has no right to comment on Russia's internal affairs. Russia does not interfere in Canada's domestic matters and calls on Canada to adhere to the same principle.”

— Oleg Stepanov, Russian Ambassador to Canada

The takeaway

This diplomatic dispute highlights the ongoing tensions between Russia and Western countries over the circumstances surrounding Alexey Navalny's death, with Russia rejecting the allegations as unfounded and accusing the Canadian government of political point-scoring.