Russia opens investigation into ally of Kremlin critic Navalny

Russian authorities have opened a criminal probe into an ally of opposition leader Alexey Navalny after raiding her flat, alleging she threatened a man Navalny claimed took part in his poisoning.

Ivan Zhdanov, head of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund, said on Friday that investigators launched a probe into Lyubov Sobol for trespassing "with the use of violence or a threat to use it" after Sobol rang the doorbell of the alleged Federal Security Service (FSB) agent.

On Monday, Navalny said he had tricked an alleged chemical weapons expert with the FSB named Konstantin Kudryavtsev into admitting that the domestic intelligence agency had sought to kill him this summer by placing poison in his underwear.

READ MORE: Navalny appears to dupe alleged agent into admitting FSB poisoning plot

Later Monday, Sobol went to the Moscow apartment where a joint media report led by the Bellingcat investigative website last week said Kudryavtsev lives.

She was detained by police at the scene and questioned for hours.

On Friday police took the 33-year-old opposition activist in for questioning after conducting a raid on her Moscow apartment at around 0400GMT and confiscated her tech devices, the Anti-Corruption Fund wrote on Twitter.

Sobol's young daughter and husband were allowed to leave the flat, said a message posted on Sobol's Twitter feed.

Speaking to AFP on Monday, the opposition activist had expressed concern about a possible criminal case against her.

Sobol, a lawyer by training, has announced plans to run in parliamentary elections next year.

READ MORE: Germany says new reports confirm Russia’s role in Navalny poisoning

Navalny lashes out

Navalny, one of President Vladimir Putin's most outspoken critics, said the authorities' response was disproportionate and confirmation that his allegations were true.

He was airlifted to Germany in August for emergency medical treatment after collapsing on a plane in Russia.

Western governments say Navalny, 44, was poisoned with the Soviet-era Novichok nerve agent in a case that has further dented Moscow's relations with leading European countries and sparked mutual sanctions.

The Kremlin has admitted that security agents have tailed Navalny but denied any attempts to poison him. Putin has said the incident was part of a US-backed plot to try to discredit him.

Navalny remains in Germany, but has said he plans to return to Russia to continue campaigning against Putin and his allies.