Alexei Navalny, the most prominent opposition figure in Russia and a vocal critic of President Vladimir Putin, passed away on Friday in an Arctic prison colony, as reported by the prison service. He was 47 years old. Navalny, who was serving a 19-year sentence on charges widely viewed as politically motivated, allegedly became ill after a walk and despite resuscitation attempts, he could not be revived, according to the prison service in the Yamalo-Nenets district.
"The medical team at the prison declared the inmate deceased. The cause of death is currently under investigation," the statement mentioned. Navalny's lawyer, Leonid Solovyov, refrained from providing immediate comments, while his close associate, Leonid Volkov, expressed doubt on social media.
"Russian authorities have released a statement suggesting that they were involved in the death of Alexei Navalny in prison," Volkov posted. "We lack the means to verify or disprove this claim."
The global community responded promptly, with France stating that Navalny had "sacrificed his life while opposing Russian oppression," and Norway's foreign minister urging Russian officials to conduct a thorough investigation.
Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesperson, confirmed that the president had been informed of Navalny's passing. Navalny, a charismatic anti-corruption activist, had long aimed to challenge Putin in elections but was prevented from running in the 2018 presidential race. After receiving medical treatment in Germany for months following a Novichok nerve agent poisoning he attributed to the Kremlin, he returned to Russia in January 2021 and was immediately imprisoned without release.
With Navalny's absence, Putin encounters no substantial opposition in the upcoming presidential election next month.