Alexei Navalny's poisoning would not be of benefit to Russia's leadership: Foreign Ministry

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny smiles during an interview. Credit: AFP Photo

Russia's foreign ministry said on Tuesday an alleged poisoning of opposition politician Alexei Navalny was not of benefit to the country's leadership.

Navalny, an outspoken opponent of President Vladimir Putin, collapsed on a plane to Moscow and was airlifted to Germany for treatment from the Siberian city of Omsk on Saturday.

"We consider accusation in some intention to 'cover the truth' voiced by Western capital towards Omsk doctors to be deeply insulting," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday it saw no need for now to investigate circumstances leading up to Navalny's grave illness.