Putin’s Initial Response to Navalny’s Death: “Regrettably, It Has Happened”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has made his first public comment about the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalni, calling it a “sad incident”. Putin, who was re-elected after the three-day presidential elections in Russia, claimed that he agreed to a prisoner swap involving Navalny before his death in prison last month.
Speaking in Moscow after winning the presidential election in Russia, Putin stated that he received an offer to release Navalni within the scope of a swap agreement a few days before his death. Putin mentioned that he agreed to the exchange, but unfortunately, Navalny passed away before it could take place.
Putin did not reveal who Navalny would have been traded with, but he referred to them as “some people who are behind bars in western countries”. Navalni’s supporters have accused Putin of orchestrating Navalny’s death in prison to sabotage the potential prisoner swap.
Navalni’s long-time ally, Leonid Volkov, called Putin’s comments a confession and accused him of killing Navalny. Following Navalny’s funeral in Moscow, his team called on voters to honor his memory by going to the polls en masse on the last day of the election. Thousands of people gathered in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and around the world to show their opposition to Putin’s rule.
The controversy surrounding Navalny’s death and the alleged prisoner swap continues to be a topic of debate in Russia and beyond. Putin’s statements have raised further questions and suspicions among Navalny’s supporters and critics of the Russian government.
