Opposition politician Aleksey Navalny, prisoner in Russia, died in prison. Russian Federal Penitentiary Institution announced that Navalny, who was arrested on charges of "establishing, financing and taking action in an extremist organization", died in Correctional Facility No. 3 in the Yamal-Nenetsk Autonomous Region.

 

In the statement published on Sputnik, it was stated that "On February 16, inmate Navalny in Correctional Facility No. 3 felt bad after taking in air and lost consciousness almost immediately. The institution's medical staff arrived immediately and called an ambulance."

 

'PUTIN KILLED HIM'

 

Navalny's former deputy Leonid Volkov blamed Moscow for the opposition politician's death. Asked whether he would confirm the news, Volkov said: "Russian authorities published a confession that they killed Aleksey Navalny in prison. We have no way of confirming this or proving that it is not true. If it is true, Putin killed Navalny."

 

JOURNALIST MURATOV: IT IS A MURDER

 

Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, who was awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, also described Navalny's death as "murder". Muratov said he believed prison conditions caused the death.

 

KREMLIN: IT IS UNDER INVESTIGATION

 

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, in his first statement on the subject, stated that they did not yet have information about the cause of Navalny's death. Peskov noted that all necessary investigations were carried out and President Vladimir Putin was also informed.

 

Navalny's spokesperson stated that his lawyer took action towards the prison.

 

HE WAS SENTENCED TO 19 MORE YEARS OF PRISON

 

Navalni had been held in a prison in the Yamalo-Nenets region since 2021. Navalny was sentenced to another 19 years in prison last August.