Death “a sad event”
Putin claims to have already agreed to Navalny’s release
March 17, 2024, 11:36 p.m
At a press conference after the election, Russian President Putin was asked about the late Kremlin critic Navalny. For the first time in years he speaks his name publicly. And claims that he agreed to a prisoner exchange before Navalny’s death.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has officially confirmed for the first time that the now deceased Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny should be replaced. The proposal was made to him to release Navalny as part of a prisoner exchange, Putin said at a press conference at his campaign headquarters in Moscow. He has already given his consent to the exchange for Russians imprisoned in the West – on the condition that the opposition politician leaves Russia and does not return.
“As for Mr. Navalny, he is no longer alive,” said Putin, who spoke his opponent’s name in public for the first time in years. “This is a sad event.” And further: “Unfortunately, what happened happened. But it happens, you can’t do anything about it, that’s life.”
Navalny’s associate calls statements “cynical”
Navalny’s long-time confidant Leonid Volkov called Putin’s statement a month after the death of the Kremlin opponent “cynical.” Putin actually killed his opponent so that he wouldn’t have to be replaced. He described Putin as a “blood-sucking bug” who would soon burst.
Kremlin critic Navalny, who was sentenced to a long prison sentence, died in a prison camp in Siberia in mid-February. The circumstances of his death are still unclear to this day. Authorities say Putin’s harshest critic collapsed while touring the icy prison yard. Attempts at resuscitation were unsuccessful. His widow Yulia Navalnaya believes that her husband was murdered in the camp.
Shortly after Navalny’s death, it was reported from his circle of confidants that he should actually have been exchanged for the so-called Tiergarten murderer, who was imprisoned in Germany. Accordingly, Vadim K., who was convicted in Germany in December 2021, should have been extradited to Russia – in return for Navalny and two unnamed Americans. It was said that a corresponding offer was made to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin at the beginning of February.