16 February 2024 , 11:35
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Vladimir Putin's top critic and opposition politician Alexei Navalny has died in a Russian prison.
Navalny, who was discovered in one of Putin's toughest jails in December last year after going missing for 20 days, has died in that jail, the prison says. Navalny, who has suffered serious health problems in jail, was apparently put in solitary confinement again before his death - the Human Rights Foundation claimed. But, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said: “Obviously, Putin killed him."
A prison statement from Russia said: "On February 16, 2024, in correctional colony No. 3, convict Navalny A.A. felt unwell after a walk, almost immediately losing consciousness. Medical workers from the institution arrived immediately and an emergency medical team was called. All necessary resuscitation measures were carried out, but did not yield positive results. Emergency doctors confirmed the death of the convict."
Putin was informed about his rival’s death. Asked about Navalny’s death, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “As far as we know, in line with all the existing rules, the FSIN [prison service] are running all the checks and establishing... all of that.
"No orders are needed for that because there is a certain set of rules for these occasions.” Asked if it was true there was a blood clot, he said: “I don't know, I don't know….The medics should establish." TV Rain - an opposition media - said Navalny's team had no confirmation of his death.
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Navalny went missing during his stint in a hellish Russian gulag last year (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has described the death of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny as “terrible news”, adding: “As the fiercest advocate for Russian democracy, Alexei Navalny demonstrated incredible courage throughout his life.” Lord David Cameron said there should be "consequences" for Vladimir Putin as he blamed Alexei Navalny's death on the "action that Putin's Russia took".
Speaking to broadcasters as he attends the Munich Security Conference, the Foreign Secretary said: "Alexei Navalny was an incredibly brave fighter against corruption and he gave up everything in campaigning for what he believed in, and my heart goes out to his wife and to his family.
"We should be clear about what has happened here. Putin's Russia imprisoned him, trumped up charges against him, poisoned him, sent him to an Arctic penal colony and now he's tragically died. We should hold Putin accountable for this, and no one should be in any doubt about the dreadful nature of Putin's regime in Russia after what has just happened."
Asked whether there should be consequences, Lord Cameron said: "There should be consequences because there's no doubt in my mind that this man was a brave fighter against corruption, for justice, for democracy, and look what Putin's Russia did to him.
"They trumped up charges, they imprisoned him, they poisoned him, they sent him to an Arctic penal colony and he's died, and that is because of the action that Putin's Russia took."
The politician is pictured in 2017, when he was tried in court for detention on an unauthorized rally against corruption in Russia (Getty Images)Putin's number one enemy went missing during his stint in a hellish Russian clink last year - and his supporters warned he could be executed. The head of Navalny’s FBK party Maria Pevchikh said: “We are worried for his life.
“He’s in the hands of the very same people who tried to kill him before. If they once got an authorisation to murder Navalny, do they have another one now or is the last one still valid. Navalny’s life is constantly at a high risk.”
In his last post, Navalny had sent a Valentine’s message to his wife Yulia, 47. It read: "Baby, 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.”
Leonid Volkov, a Navalny aide, said: “The Federal Penitentiary Service in the Yamalo-Nenets District is disseminating news about the death of Alexei Navalny in IK-3.“ We don't have any confirmation of this yet. Alexey's lawyer is now flying to Kharp. As soon as we have any information, we will report it.”
Vladimir Putin gestures during the Forum of Future Technologies conference this week (Getty Images)A procedural investigation into the death of Alexei Navalny has been organised,” said Telegram Operativniye Svodk. “The Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous region organised a procedural investigation into the death of A.A. Navalny in correctional colony No. 3.
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"In accordance with the procedure established by law, a set of investigative and operational measures are carried out aimed at establishing all the circumstances of the incident.”
In December, it was reported Navalny suffered a "hunger faint" after not being fed in days. Kira Yarmysh, Navalny's spokesperson, wrote at the time: "He fell ill in his cell last week. He got dizzy and laid down on the floor. The colony staff came over immediately, lowered the cot, laid Alexey down and gave him an IV."
Russia is set to hold another general election, with Putin set to stay in power until 2030 should he succeed. Putin still commands wide support after nearly a quarter-century in power, despite starting an immensely costly war in Ukraine that has taken thousands of his countrymen’s lives, provoked repeated attacks inside Russia and corroded its aura of invincibility.