Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that opposition figure Alexey Navalny, who died in prison, was to be swapped for Russian prisoners held in the West. Putin revealed that senior Russian officials had discussed the idea of a prisoner swap before Navalny’s death at the Polar Wolf colony inside the Arctic Circle in February.
According to RT, Navalny, known as Putin’s most vocal critic, was serving a 19-year jail term for politically motivated offenses. The Yamalo-Nenets district prison service reported that Navalny “felt unwell and lost consciousness” after a walk, with efforts to resuscitate him proving unsuccessful.
Navalny’s wife Yulia Navalnaya accused Putin of her husband’s murder and vowed to continue his work. The opposition leader’s death has sparked controversy and raised questions about the circumstances surrounding his sudden passing in prison.
As investigations into Navalny’s death continue, Putin’s revelation about a potential prisoner swap sheds new light on the situation. The international community is closely monitoring developments in the case, as concerns grow over the treatment of political dissidents in Russia and the implications of Navalny’s death on the country’s political landscape.
