Vladimir Putin opponent Alexei Navalny critical after poisoning

Putin’s main political opponent has been rushed to an intensive care unit “unconscious” after reportedly drinking poison in his tea.

A leading figure of the Russian political opposition has been rushed to intensive care “unconscious” after being poisoned.

Alexei Navalny is in intensive care after being poisoned with a toxin believed to have been mixed into his tea, according to tweets from his press secretary Kira Yarmysh.

Ms Yarmysh said Mr Navalny had been on a flight from Moscow to Tomsk when he began to feel “bad”.

“The plane urgently landed in Omsk. Alexey has toxic poisoning. Now we are going to the hospital by ambulance,” she wrote in translated tweets.

“We assume that Alexei was poisoned with something mixed into the tea. It was the only thing that he drank in the morning. Doctors say the toxin was absorbed faster through the hot liquid. Alexey is now unconscious.” She tweeted again shortly after he’d been taken to intensive care.

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Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has reportedly been poisoned. Picture: Alexander Nemenov / AFP

Mr Navalny is the main face to opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Picture: Alexey Nikolsky / SPUTNIK / AFP

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Mr Navalny is an anti-corruption lawyer and is the main face of the Russian opposition to President Vladimir Putin.

The activist is a vocal critic of the President. In 2011 on Russian radio he called the United Russia party a “party of crooks and thieves”.

Mr Navalny has been jailed numerous times in Russia. His press secretary claimed he was poisoned last year while in prison.