Doctors treating Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny say he is out of an induced coma and his condition, since being poisoned, has improved.
He is responding to verbal stimuli, they said. Mr Navalny, 44, was flown to Germany after falling ill on a flight in Siberia in August.
His team says he was poisoned on the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who denies involvement.
German doctors say he was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent.
On Monday, the Charité hospital in Berlin said in a statement Mr Navalny was being weaned off mechanical ventilation.
“He is responding to verbal stimuli. It remains too early to gauge the potential long-term effects of his severe poisoning,” it said.
It also said doctors were in close contact with Mr Navalny’s wife.
Mr Navalny’s spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, tweeted: “News about Alexei. Today he was taken out of induced coma. Gradually he will be switched off from a ventilator. He responds to speech and to being addressed to.”
There is growing pressure in Germany for Chancellor Angela Markel to take a tougher stance over the incident. Last week, she said Mr Navalny was the victim of attempted murder and that the world would look to Russia for answers.
Source:Fiilafmonline/BBC
