According to a report on Saturday, US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin probably did not order the death of opposition politician Alexei Navalny at an Arctic prison camp in February.
Navalny, who was 47 years old when he died, was known as Putin’s most outspoken critic within Russia. His allies, who have been labeled extremists by Russian authorities, have accused Putin of orchestrating Navalny’s murder and have pledged to provide evidence to support their claim.
The Kremlin has consistently denied any involvement in Navalny’s death. Putin himself has referred to Navalny’s demise as “sad” and stated that he was prepared to exchange the jailed politician to the West in a prisoner swap, on the condition that Navalny never return to Russia.
Navalny’s allies have indicated that discussions regarding such an exchange were ongoing.
While US intelligence agencies have cast doubt on Putin’s direct involvement in Navalny’s death, they have not absolved him of all responsibility.
This is due to Navalny having been targeted by Russian authorities for several years, facing politically motivated charges, and being poisoned with a nerve agent in 2020, an incident which the Kremlin also denies involvement in.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to the Journal’s report, dismissing it as “empty speculation” and not deserving of attention.
News agencies were unable to independently verify the Journal’s findings, which were said to be broadly accepted within the US intelligence community, including agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the State Department’s intelligence unit.
The US assessment was reportedly based on a variety of information, including classified intelligence and an analysis of public facts surrounding Navalny’s death. This analysis took into account factors such as the timing of Navalny’s death and its impact on Putin’s re-election in March.
Leonid Volkov, a senior aide to Navalny, criticized the US findings, labeling them as “naive and ridiculous.” Despite the skepticism from Navalny’s camp, the US intelligence community stands by its assessment that Putin likely did not order Navalny’s death, while still holding him accountable for the broader targeting and persecution of the opposition figure.
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