Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny visited by Angela Merkel in hospital

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his wife Yulia (Navalny Instagram via AP)

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has confirmed reports that German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited him in hospital.

German magazine Der Spiegel reported on Sunday evening, without citing sources, that Mrs Merkel had made a secret visit to Mr Navalny when he was at the Charite hospital in Berlin where he was being treated for what German authorities determined was nerve agent poisoning.