The claim was made by staunch critic of President Putin – Vladimir Kara-Murza – a politician campaigning for democracy and civil society in Russia. He believes he has been targeted by government figures – having been poisoned twice while in Moscow. He said in the 2020 Channel 4 documentary 'Putin: A Russian Spy Story' that on both occasions he believed he was about to die, and highlights the danger other opponents to the Kremlin regime have found themselves in.