Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in prison today. The most prominent rival of Russian President Vladimir Putin was serving a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism.
The Russian press covered the news and the subsequent reactions from both the West and the Russian authorities.
The Kremlin-banned Meduza news site appeared before its readers with the headline "Putin killed Navalny".
"Federal Service for Execution of Sentences: Navalny died in prison," wrote RIA Novosti. The agency noted that a medical team tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate Navalny for half an hour, and the circumstances are currently being clarified.
Radio "Sputnik" recalls that the Russian Ministry of Justice included Navalny and his associates in the so-called "registry of foreign agents".
"Russia Today" claims that the probable cause of death was a "blood clot".
According to TASS, Navalny felt ill after a short walk, losing consciousness almost immediately.
Alexei Navalny's lawyer emphasized to "Novaya Gazeta" that his client was in good condition only 2 days ago.
The mother of the opposition politician did not want to believe the messages from the Kremlin. "I don't want to hear any condolences. We saw him in prison on (February 12) for a meeting. He was alive, well and happy," she said.
"Putin was informed about Navalny's death," Kommersant newspaper wrote.
The media cited Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov as saying that doctors were investigating the cause of the opposition figure's death.
"As far as we know, now in accordance with all the current rules, the FSIN is dealing with all the checks and clarifications and so on. No orders are needed because there is a certain set of rules on this matter that the FSIN is now guided by," he said Peskov.
"Interfax" quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who called the West's immediate reaction after Navalny's death "self-reprehensible."
"There is no forensic examination yet, but the conclusions of the West are already ready," she said.
Alexei Navalny was arrested in January 2021 on his return to Russia from Germany, where he was being treated after an attempted poisoning with Novichok, a Soviet-era nerve agent. According to the dissident and independent investigations, the attempt to assassinate him was organized by the Russian special services.
In August 2023, a Moscow court found Navalny guilty of alleged "extremist activity" and sentenced him to a total of 19 years in prison.
He has repeatedly complained about the conditions in the penal colony, directly calling them torture. The Kremlin critic reported that he was deprived of sleep, denied medical care and deliberately placed in a cell with a convicted murderer who suffered from serious illnesses and poor personal hygiene. He was also not allowed any contact with his defenders or relatives. /BGNES
