The Council of the EU said it had ​issued sanctions against six ‌people - most of whom were scientists and researchers - who were involved ​in the development of ​the toxin that caused the death ⁠of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

The ​EU said the people were ​involved with the development of chemical weapons, particularly epibatidine, that were found ​in samples taken from the ​activist's body after his death. The ‌toxin is ⁠found in poison dart frogs in South America and not found naturally in Russia.

Russia has ​demanded that ​European ⁠countries who accuse Moscow of poisoning Navalny to ​provide concrete data to ​support ⁠their allegations.

People listed under the sanctions programme are subject to ⁠an ​asset freeze and ​travel ban to the EU.