Dead Russian Opposition Leader Was Close To High-Stakes Freedom Deal With Kremlin Before Sudden Death, Says Aides

The staffers of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny have alleged that he was on the brink of being released in a high-stakes prisoner exchange before his sudden death. They have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of orchestrating Navalny’s death to prevent the exchange.

What Happened: Navalny’s staffers, in a YouTube video, claimed that Putin had Navalny killed to prevent the exchange. The exchange reportedly involved the release of two American citizens and Navalny in exchange for Russian prisoner Vladim Krasikov, who is serving a murder sentence in Berlin, reported Business Insider.

“Navalny was supposed to be free in the coming days because we had received a decision on his exchange,” said Maria Pevchikh, who is the chairwoman of the Anti-Corruption Foundation, which Navalny founded.

The Pevchikh did not disclose the names of the American citizens involved in the swap. However, Reuters reported that the U.S. had been working to secure the return of Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, and former U.S. marine Paul Whelan.

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The negotiations for the prisoner exchange had been ongoing for two years and were in their final stages before Navalny’s death. The Pevchikh also claimed that Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich acted as an informal negotiator, communicating the swap proposal to Putin on behalf of U.S., European, and Russian officials.

Navalny, who was being held in an Arctic penal colony on widely seen as politically motivated charges, died suddenly on Feb. 16. The Kremlin has denied any involvement in his death, but world leaders, commentators, and Navalny’s family have pointed fingers at Putin.

Why It Matters: The death of Navalny, a prominent critic of Putin, has sparked international outrage. The U.S. has announced a new package of sanctions against Russia to hold the country accountable for Navalny’s death.

His widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has vowed to continue the fight against Putin, whom she directly blamed for her husband’s death.

Navalny’s mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, has also been reportedly pressured by Russian authorities to agree to a “secret” burial for her son. She was allegedly given a tight deadline to consent to the burial, or Navalny would be interred at the penal colony where he died.

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Alexei Navalny. Photo by Michał Siergiejevicz on Wikimedia Commons