MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) – The death of Kremlin opponent Alexei Navalny in a Russian prison camp has caused horror around the world. Many observers made President Wladimir Putin directly responsible for the death of his 47-year-old critic, which was first reported by Russian state media on Friday, citing the prison system. US Head of State Joe Biden also chose sharp words towards Putin. Navalny’s team who fled into exile said that they no longer had any hope that the opposition politician could still be alive. However, it will only officially confirm his death once a lawyer arrives at Navalny’s prison camp in Russia’s far north. This was expected for Saturday morning.
Employee: Navalny “most likely” dead
“We understand that it most likely happened that Alexei Navalny was killed. With a very high probability,” said the exiled director of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, Ivan Zhdanov, during a live broadcast on YouTube in the evening. Navalny’s spokeswoman Kira Yarmysch sat at his side.
“We will not tell you lies that there is any hope that tomorrow it will turn out that this is not true,” said the well-known Navalny supporter. “Such a chance is slim.” Zhdanov added: “At the moment everything indicates that a murder actually took place – the murder of Alexei Navalny in prison. And it was (Vladimir) Putin who killed him.”
Spokeswoman Yarmysch emphasized that the team still does not have its own confirmation of Navalny’s death. A lawyer and relatives are on the way to the prison camp in the far north of Russia, but are not expected to arrive there until Saturday morning. “Until this moment, we cannot get confirmation. Therefore, we cannot officially confirm or deny the reports of all the Kremlin news outlets that Navalny is dead.”
Biden: Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death
US President Biden, meanwhile, blamed Kremlin chief Putin for Navalny’s death. While we don’t know exactly what happened, there is no doubt that Navalny’s death was a result of Putin’s actions and those of his criminals, Biden said at the White House. “Putin is responsible.” Biden also said he was shocked but not surprised by the news of Navalny’s death.
Putin poisoned Navalny, had him arrested and charged with trumped-up crimes, the US president said. He put him in solitary confinement. But none of this stopped Navalny from denouncing lies, even in prison. “He was a powerful voice for the truth,” Biden said, referring to Navalny, who narrowly survived a poison attack in 2020, then recovered in Germany and was imprisoned in 2021 after returning to Russia.
Scholz: Navalny paid for “courage with his life”
Many European politicians also reacted with horror. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz said: “We now know exactly what kind of regime this is,” said the SPD politician. At a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, he recalled how he met Navalny in Berlin when he was trying to recover from the poison attack in Germany. He also talked to Navalny about the great courage it would take to return to the country. Scholz: “And he has probably now paid for this courage with his life.”
Kremlin describes Western reactions as “excessive”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the reactions of Western politicians as “excessive” and “unacceptable”. According to the Interfax agency, Peskov said there was still no precise information from doctors, forensic experts or the penal system. Nevertheless, there are already reactions from the West. “It is obvious that these are absolutely exaggerated and absolutely unacceptable statements. They are unacceptable,” criticized Peskov. “I don’t have anything more to say on this topic.”
Navalny’s wife calls for a fight against the Russian power apparatus
Navalny’s wife Yulia Navalnaya, in turn, called for a fight against Putin’s power apparatus. “I want to call on the entire international community, all those in the world who are listening now, to stand together and defeat this evil, this terrible regime that rules Russia today,” Navalnaya said in a short-term speech at the Munich Security Conference . “This regime and Vladimir Putin personally should be held accountable for all these atrocities that they have committed in recent years in my country, in our country Russia.”
Navalny is remembered worldwide – including in Russia
The news of Navalny’s death spread rapidly – and sparked sadness, shock and anger around the world. In many different countries, people brought flowers and organized spontaneous rallies. More than 1,000 people gathered in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin. There were also protests in Hamburg, Düsseldorf and other German cities.
Even in Russia, where protests are being suppressed extremely harshly, dozens of people dared to take to the streets in many places. For example, despite a heavy police presence, people lined up in Moscow city center to place flowers at a memorial site for victims of political repression. There were also similar images from St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod and several other places. Some people brought photos of Navalny, some cried and hugged each other. The police cracked down on grieving supporters. In several Russian cities, including Moscow, more than 100 people were arrested at commemorative events by late Friday evening, the civil rights organization Ovd-Info said.
“Do not give up!” – Russians are encouraging themselves with old Navalny statements
Many critical Russians also took courage on social networks with an earlier statement by the Kremlin opponent. On Instagram, Telegram and had been.
The Putin opponent is asked in the film, which has now won an Oscar: “Alexei, if you are arrested and put in prison or if the unthinkable happens and they kill you: What message will you leave to the Russian people?” Navalny then replies: “In the event that I am killed, my message is very simple: Don’t give up!”/haw/DP/zb