Alexei Navalny Latest news: Biden administration calls for investigation into Navalny’s death

Alexei Navalny Latest news: World leaders and Russian opposition activists swiftly attributed the reported death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny to President Vladimir Putin and his government, Associated Press reported.

Navalny, aged 47, was serving a 19-year prison term on extremism charges in a distant penal colony located above the Arctic Circle when he passed away. His incarceration began upon his return from Germany in January 2021, where he had been treated following an assassination attempt. Navalny dismissed the charges against him as politically motivated, aimed at perpetually imprisoning him.

Alexei Navalny Latest news: In cities throughout Europe on Friday, supporters of Alexei Navalny gathered to honour the prominent figure known as Russia’s leading opposition voice. From Western European cities to capitals in former Soviet bloc nations, individuals paid homage to Navalny, a dynamic lawyer recognised for his ability to mobilize opposition against Putin within Russia.

Alexei Navalny Latest news: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the death of imprisoned Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny as a “tragedy” and asserted that it unveils Russian President Vladimir Putin as “a monster.”

Speaking to public broadcaster CBC, Trudeau stated, “It is a tragedy… It really shows the extent to which Putin… will crack down on anyone who is fighting for freedom for the Russian people. And it’s something that has the entire world being reminded of exactly what a monster Putin is.”

Earlier, Russian authorities reported that Navalny, aged 47, had suddenly passed away in his Arctic prison.

(With AFP inputs)

Alexei Navalny Latest news: President Joe Biden stressed about the the ‘urgency’ for Congress to approve significant funds for Ukraine following the reported death of Russian anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny, Associated Press reported.

Speaking from the White House, Biden reiterated his attribution of responsibility to Russian President Vladimir Putin for Navalny’s demise, stating, “I hope to God it helps” motivate lawmakers to increase aid to Ukraine. Biden underscored the significance of the moment, urging action from lawmakers in the House and highlighting the Senate’s passage of a bill aimed at providing crucial support to Ukraine’s military efforts.

Alexei Navalny Latest news: Russia’s foremost opposition figure, Alexei Navalny, passed away on Friday following his collapse at the penal colony where he was serving a lengthy prison sentence, according to prison authorities. Here is the list of some other opposition activists jailed in Russia.

• Ilya Yashin

• Vladimir Kara-Murza

• Igor Girkin

• Liliya Chanysheva

• Vadim Ostanin

• Ksenia Fadeyeva

• Igor Sergunin

• Alexei Liptser

• Vadim Kobzev Click here to read more about them

Alexei Navalny Latest news: “We don’t know exactly what happened, but there is no doubt that the death of Nalvany was a consequence of something that Putin and his thugs did,” US President Biden said at the White House after the reported death of Vladimir Putin’s leading critic, Alexei Navalny on Friday.

“Russian authorities are going to tell their own story,” Biden said. “But make no mistake. Make no mistake, Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death.”

• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov: Peskov conveyed that President Vladimir Putin has been informed about Navalny’s death. He later described the reaction of Western leaders to the death as “unacceptable” and “absolutely rabid”, Peskov said later.

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy: “It is obvious: he was killed by Putin, as thousands of others were tortured and martyred by this one ‘creature’. Putin does not care who dies as long as he keeps his position. And that is why he should not keep anything. Putin should lose everything and answer for what he has done.”

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres: Said he was shocked and urged a “full, credible and transparent investigation”.

• French President Emmanuel Macron: “In today’s Russia, free spirits are put in the Gulag and sentenced to death.”

• German Chancellor Olaf Scholz: “I met Navalny here in Berlin when he was trying to recover in Germany from the poisoning attack and also talked to him about the great courage it takes to return to his country. And he has probably now paid for this courage with his life.”

• NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg: “We need to establish all the facts, and Russia needs to answer all the serious questions about the circumstances of his death.”

(With inputs from Reuters)

Alexei Navalny Latest news: US President Joe Biden said on Friday that he “was not surprised” by the reported death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and that he was “outraged.” Speaking at the White House, Biden praised Navalny’s courage in confronting corruption and violence within the Putin government, saying, “Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death.”

The White House was actively seeking further details about Navalny’s demise at a Russian penal colony located north of the Arctic Circle, where he had been transferred less than two months ago.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Alexei Navalny Latest News: Yulia, wife of President Vladimir Putin’s most formidable domestic opponent Alexei Navalny expressed uncertainty regarding her husband’s fate during her speech at the Munich Security Conference, stating that she couldn’t definitively confirm his death. “Putin and his government… lie incessantly”, Reuters reported.

United States Vice President Kamala Harris blamed Russia after Alexei Navalny’s death in prison, She said at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, “Before I begin today, we’ve all just received reports that Aleksey Navalny has died in Russia. This is, of course, terrible news, which we are working to confirm. My prayers are with his family, including his wife, Yulia, who is with us today. And if confirmed, this would be a further sign of Putin’s brutality. Whatever story they tell, let us be clear: Russia is responsible.”

The EU will do whatever it can to hold Russia accountable for the death of Alexei Navalny, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Vice President Josep Borrell said.

“He was slowly murdered by President Putin and his regime, who fear nothing more than dissent from their own people”, von der Leyen and Borrell said, adding, “We will spare no efforts to hold the Russian political leadership and authorities to account.”

US President Joe Biden will speak on the death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny in a Russian prison, the White House announced.

“The President delivers remarks on the reported death of Alexei Navalny,” the White House said.

Ivan Zhdanov, an ally of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, said that if his death in a penal colony was confirmed it would not be an “ordinary death” but a “political murder”.

Despite authorities warning against rallies, crowds were seen gathering to lay flowers at the city’s Solovetsky Stone monument, it was reported.

Alexei Navalny “felt well” during a court session yesterday, its press office has told Russian state media outlet TASS.

He did not complain of any health problems and “spoke actively”, the court said.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was asked by a Russian journalist about reports Alexei Navalny had suffered a blood clot.

“I don’t know, I don’t know, the medics should figure it out,” he said.

Alexei Navalny paid the ultimate price for being the “leading critical voice in Russia” and “Putin’s most vocal opponent”, Amnesty International said.

“His death is probably the most resonant death that ever happened in present-day Russia,” it said.

“The death of a person is always a tragedy,” Russia’s foreign ministry said, adding, “Instead of sweeping accusations, one ought to show restraint and wait for the official results of the forensic medical examination.”

The prosecutor’s office warned citizens against participating in action in the centre of Moscow.

“In connection with the spread on the Internet, including on social networks, of calls for an indefinite number of people to take part in a mass action in the centre of Moscow, the Moscow prosecutor’s office considers it necessary to warn about the inadmissibility of violating the law,” the office said in a statement.

The United Nations said it was “appalled” at news that Alexei Navalny had died in prison. The UN rights office pointed out that it and others had “repeatedly raised serious concerns relating to the charges against Navalny and his repeated detention, which appeared to be arbitrary”.

“If someone dies in the custody of the state, the presumption is that the state is responsible — a responsibility that can only be rebutted through an impartial, thorough and transparent investigation carried out by an independent body,” UN rights office spokeswoman Liz Throssell said.

“For more than a decade, the Russian government and Putin personally persecuted, poisoned and imprisoned Alexey Navalny,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Munich, indicating Washington was still seeking confirmation of the news. “His death in a Russian prison and the fixation and fear of one man only underscores the weakness and rot at the heart of the system that Putin has built. Russia is responsible for this.”

Russia’s top lawmaker said that Western leaders benefitted from the death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny because they were “losing” the battle in Ukraine.

Western leaders “who have made a huge number of failed decisions and cling to their positions benefit from his death,” parliament speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, said.

The reported death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is a tragedy and has reminded the entire world what a “monster” Russian President Vladimir Putin is, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

“He was such a strong fighter for democracy, for freedoms for the Russian people. It really shows the extent to which Putin has, will crack down on anyone who is fighting for freedom for the Russian people,” Justin Trudeau said, adding, “It is a tragedy and it’s something that has the entire world being reminded of exactly what a monster Putin is.”

France’s president Emmanuel Macron accused Russia of sentencing “free spirits” to death after the Kremlin’s most prominent critic Alexei Navalny died in an Arctic prison.

“In today’s Russia, free spirits are sent to the gulag and condemned to death,” Macron said, expressing his “anger and indignation” and hailing Navalny’s “courage”.

Vladimir Putin must be brought to justice over the “atrocities” he has wrought against his country and Alexei Navalny’s family, the opposition leader’s wife said.

US Vice President Kamala Harris said the death of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny in an Arctic penal colony on Friday, if confirmed, would be a further sign of the brutality of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Let us be clear, Russia is responsible,” she said, adding that it would be “a further sign of Putin’s brutality” of the death is confirmed.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was “disturbing”.

“We express our heartfelt condolences and hope that full clarity will be revealed over this disturbing event,” Giorgia Meloni said in a statement.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk pledged to “never forgive” following an earlier announcement of the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s death in prison.

“Alexei, we will never forget you. And we will never forgive them,” Donald Tusk said on X (formerly Twitter).

Alexei Navalny said of Vladimir Putin earlier, “However much he pretends to be a great geo-politician, he’ll go down in history as a poisoner. There was Alexander the Liberator, Yaroslav the Wise, and Putin the Underwear Poisoner.”

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny did not appear to have any health complaints when speaking by video link to a court on Thursday.

Navalny did not complain about his health and “spoke actively, presenting arguments in defence of his position”, a regional court from the city of Vladimir, to the east of Moscow, said.

Russian president Vladimir Putin was on a visit to Chelyabinsk. In footage of a meeting with workers in the Urals city published after the announcement of the death, he made no mention of Alexei Navalny.

US Vice President Kamala Harris said the United States is working to confirm the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, adding that it would be a further sign of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s brutality.

European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen said, “Deeply disturbed and saddened by news of the death of Alexei Navalny. Putin fears nothing more than dissent from his own people. A grim reminder of what Putin and his regime are all about. Let’s unite in our fight to safeguard the freedom and safety of those who dare to stand up against autocracy.”

French foreign minister Stephane Sejourne said, “Alexei Navalny paid with his life for his resistance to a system of oppression. His death in a penal colony reminds us of the reality of Vladimir Putin’s regime. To his family, his loved ones and the Russian people, France presents its condolences.”

British foreign minister David Cameron said that Vladimir Putin should be accountable for the death of Alexei Navalny.

“Navalny fought bravely against corruption. Putin’s Russia fabricated charges against him, poisoned him, sent him to an arctic penal colony & now he has tragically died,” he said, adding, “Putin should be accountable for what has happened – no one should doubt the dreadful nature of his regime.”

US secretary of state Antony Blinken said that Alexei Navalny’s death underscores the “weakness and rot” at the heart of the Russian government.

“Russia is responsible for this,” he said.

Alexei Navalny’s final posts on social media spoke of ‘punishment cell’. Alexei Navalny sent his wife a Valentine’s Day message and claimed he had been given “15 days in a punishment cell”.

In a tribute to his wife, he wrote “everything is like in a song with you. Between us there are cities, the take-off lights of airfields, blue snowstorms and thousands of kilometres. But I feel that you are near every second, and I love you more and more.”

Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez said that he was “shocked” by the death of Alexei Navalny, who was “unjustly imprisoned”.

“Shocked by the news of the death in prison of Alexei Navalny, unjustly imprisoned by the Putin regime for his defence of human rights and democracy. My condolences to his family and friends and to all those in Russia who defend democratic values and pay for it the highest of prices,” he said.

Alexei Navalny appears to have paid for his bravery with his life, German chancellor Olaf Scholz said, linking the death of the prominent Kremlin critic to the Russian political apparatus.

“He stood up for democracy and freedom in Russia – and apparently paid for his courage with his life,” he said.

Renowned Russian writer Boris Akunin said that Alexei Navalny had become “immortal” and presented now even a bigger threat to Vladimir Putin.

“There is nothing more the dictator can do to Navalny, Navalny is dead and has become immortal,” he said, adding, “I also think that a murdered Alexei Navalny will be a bigger threat for the dictator than a living one. Most likely, to drown out voices of protest, he (Putin) will launch a campaign of terror in the country.”

The mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was quoted by Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta as saying that her son had been “alive, healthy and happy” when she last saw him on February 12.

“I don’t want to hear any condolences. We saw him in prison on the (Feb) 12, in a meeting. He was alive, healthy and happy,” she said.

UK PM Rishi Sunak said, “This is terrible news. As the fiercest advocate for Russian democracy, Alexei Navalny demonstrated incredible courage throughout his life.”

Alexei Navalny aide Leonid Volkov said that he was unable to confirm the death, adding that the Russian opposition leader’s lawyer was travelling to the site of the prison where he had been serving his sentence.

Poland’s top diplomat said Russian president Vladimir Putin was “responsible” for the death of Alexei Navalny.

“He was convicted in a trial on false charges, with false evidence. He was put in prison, where he lived in terrible conditions. Vladimir Putin is responsible for all this,” Radoslaw Sikorski said.

The White House said that the death in prison of Russian opposition leader Alexy Navalny, if confirmed, would be “a terrible tragedy.” White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the Kremlin’s “long and sordid” history of harming its opponents “raises real and obvious questions about what happened here.”

Local medics spent half an hour trying to revive Alexei Navalny after he fell ill on a walk, Russian news agency Interfax reported.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian president Vladimir Putin has been told about Alexei Navalny’s death.