Kremlin rejects accusations Putin was involved in suspected poisoning of Alexei Navalny

Russian opposition critic remains in a coma in hospital in Berlin

The Kremlin has rejected accusations that Vladimir Putin was involved in the suspected poisoning of opposition critic Alexei Navalny, who is in a coma in a German hospital.

A spokesman called reports of his poisoning hasty" in the Kremlin's first remarks since the Berlin clinic where Navalny is a patient confirmed he had been contaminated with a cholinesterase inhibitor - part of a group that includes nerve agents and pesticides, as well as certain drugs.