The family of Alexei Navalny, the prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin who recently passed away in a Russian prison, has reportedly been informed that his body will be withheld for two weeks for “chemical analysis,” according to a spokesperson for Navalny. The Russian authorities have not confirmed the location of the body, and attempts to find it have been consistently obstructed.
Yulia Navalnaya, the late opposition leader’s wife, released a video on Monday accusing President Putin of her husband’s death and alleging that the body is being retained until traces of the nerve agent Novichok, suspected to be the cause of poisoning, disappear. In an emotional plea, she urged viewers to join her in condemning those responsible for “killing our future.”
Navalny’s death was announced on Friday by the Siberian penal colony where he was incarcerated. The prison authorities claimed he never regained consciousness after collapsing following a walk. Efforts to locate the body have been thwarted by the prison mortuary and local authorities.
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The Kremlin stated on Monday that an investigation into Navalny’s death is ongoing, with no results yet. Navalny’s spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, revealed that investigators informed Navalny’s mother of a two-week delay in handing over the body for a chemical analysis.
Navalny, a significant figure in Russian opposition for the past decade, was serving a 19-year sentence on widely perceived politically motivated charges.
Western leaders, including President Joe Biden and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, have squarely blamed President Putin for Navalny’s death. Both the EU and the US are contemplating new sanctions on Russia, and UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron expects the G7 nations to impose fresh sanctions on those involved in Navalny’s death.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed Western politicians’ comments as “arrogant” and “unacceptable.” Russian prison authorities attributed Navalny’s death to “sudden death syndrome” over the weekend.
