Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is out of a medically induced coma and is responsive, according to the German hospital treating him for poisoning.
Last week, German authorities said Navalny had been poisoned with the Soviet-era nerve agent, Novichok. That's the same agent used to poison a former Russian spy and his daughter in the U.K. in 2018.
Russia has denied the Kremlin was involved in poisoning Navalny and accused Germany of failing to provide evidence about the poisoning that it requested in late August.
Meanwhile, German authorities said the Russian reaction could determine whether it changes its long-standing backing for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which brings Russian gas to Germany.
NATO has called on Russia to be transparent about its Novichok program and bring those responsible to justice.
As for Navalny's recovery, the German hospital said it's "too early to gauge the potential long-term effects of his severe poisoning."
Additional reporting by Frank Jordans of The Associated Press.
