The news of the death of the most prominent opponent of the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin – Alexei Navalny, caused worldwide reactions of anger, grief, condolences to his family and recognition of his courage to oppose the Russian regime, calls for an international investigation into the causes of his death and direct accusations against Putin. The US even threatened Moscow with new sanctions.
In many European countries, people took to the streets with portraits of Navalny and posters against Putin, even in Serbia there was a protest in front of the Russian embassy because of the death of the opposition leader.
People gathered in front of the Russian embassy in Belgrade in memory of the deceased critic of Putin, the late EPA/BGNES
This prompted the statement by the spokesman of the Russian head of state, Dmitry Peskov, that any suggestion that the Kremlin was responsible for the death of Alexei Navalny was “completely unacceptable”. He described the reaction of Western leaders to the death of the Russian opposition figure as “hysterical”. Russian Parliament Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin went further by blaming the West for the death of a Kremlin critic.
Wife: I don’t know if I believe it
“I don’t know whether to believe this terrible news or not,” said Navalny’s wife, Yulia, who was a guest at the Munich Security Conference, which began on Friday.
Yulia Navalna said that the news of her husband’s death so far only comes from state sources. “We can’t really trust Putin and his government,” she said.
Yulia Navalna participated in the Munich Security Conference. EPA/BGNES
According to her, if the news of her husband’s death is true, Putin and his allies should not go unpunished for “what they did to our country, to my family and to my husband.” The day will soon come when they will be held accountable, she expressed confidence and called on the international community and all participants in the Munich Conference to “unite and fight against evil”.
Navalny’s last post on Instagram was just two days ago and was a message to his wife for Valentine’s Day, accompanied by a photo of them.
“Darling, everything is like in a song with you: between us there are cities, departure lights of airports, blue snowstorms and thousands of kilometers. But I feel that you are close every second and I love you more and more,” wrote Navalny.
Mother: I don’t want condolences
His mother, Lyudmila Navalna, last saw her son on February 12 in a Facebook post and he was “alive, healthy and happy”.
“I don’t want to hear any condolences,” she adds.
Flowers in memory of Navalny and an inscription that he remains alive were laid in Copenhagen, Sn. EPA/BGNES
The UN human rights office issued a statement saying it was “appalled” by the reported death of Alexei Navalny, adding that it should be investigated by an independent body.
The international body’s office in Geneva said it had repeatedly expressed concern about Navalny’s imprisonment, which “seemed arbitrary”.
UN: The state is responsible
UN human rights chief Volker Turk publicly called for his release last summer, saying his long sentence suggested Russia was using the justice system for political purposes.
“If someone dies in state custody,” the UN statement added, “the presumption is that the state is responsible.” This “responsibility can only be disproved by an impartial, thorough and transparent investigation by an independent body,” it added.
Biden: I’m not surprised, but I am outraged
US President Joe Biden said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was responsible for the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and called Navalny himself a “powerful voice of truth”.
The US president added that he was “not surprised, but outraged” by the news of the opposition leader’s death. “We don’t know exactly what happened, but there is no doubt that Navalny’s death was the result of something that Putin and his thugs did,” Biden said.
“The Russian authorities will tell their own version,” he added. “But make no mistake. Make no mistake, Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death,” Biden stressed.
He also said he was considering further steps to punish Russia after the death of Navalny, whom he said had “bravely stood up to the corruption and violence” of Putin’s government.
The White House said it was still trying to get more information about Navalny’s death.
Blinken: Putin’s rotten system exposed
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that if true, reports of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s death in prison exposed the “weakness and rottenness” of the system built by President Vladimir Putin, Reuters reported.
Many people expressed their grief at the news of the death of the fiercest opponent of the Putin regime, Sen. EPA/BGNES
“First of all, if these reports are true, then we sympathize with his wife and family in their grief,” Blinken said in Munich. “Beyond that, his death in a Russian prison and the fixation and fear of one man clearly shows the weakness and rot at the heart of the system that Putin has built. Russia is responsible for that,” he said.
“We will speak to the many parties who are concerned about Alexei Navalny, especially if these reports turn out to be true,” Blinken added.
Trudeau: This tragedy reminded what a “monster Putin is”
This is a tragedy that reminded the whole world what a “monster” Russian President Vladimir Putin is, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in an interview with CBC radio, Reuters reported.
“He was such a strong fighter for democracy, for freedoms for the Russian people. It really shows the extent to which Putin has restricted and will restrict anyone who fights for freedom for the Russian people,” Trudeau said.
Von der Leyen: Putin showed the fear of his countrymen
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was deeply disturbed and saddened by the news of Navalny’s death. According to her, Russian President Vladimir Putin is most afraid of dissent among his compatriots. It’s a somber occasion to remember what Putin and his regime stand for, she adds. Von der Leyen calls for unity in the struggle for freedom and security for those who dare to stand up to authoritarianism.
Sacrificed the dearest for his ideals
Alexei Navalny fought for the values of freedom and democracy, wrote in “X” the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, on the occasion of the news of the death of the Russian opposition leader.
For his ideals, Navalny sacrificed the most expensive. For the EU, the responsibility for his tragic death lies entirely with the Russian regime, adds Michel.
He expresses his condolences to Navalny’s family and to those who are fighting for democracy around the world in the darkest conditions. Fighters die, but the fight for freedom never ends, says the President of the European Council.
Mezzola: They took his freedom and his life, but not his dignity
The world has lost a fighter whose courage will be remembered for generations to come, wrote the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Mezzola. I am appalled by the death of Alexei Navalny, winner of the EP’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Russia took his freedom and his life, but failed to take away his dignity. His fight for democracy continues, Mezzola adds.
Putin is accused of being the main culprit in the death of Navalny, s.n. EPA/BGNES
Macron: Russia condemns the free spirit to death
French President Emmanuel Macron said that in Russia “free spirits are sent to the Gulag and sentenced to death”, sharing his “anger and outrage” in a post on X.
“I respect the memory of Alexei Navalny, his dedication, his courage. My thoughts are with his family, relatives and the Russian people,” added Macron.
Navalny is the best Russian president
Poland’s foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, told the BBC that Navalny would be remembered as “the best Russian president that Russia never had”.
He said Navalny was a “victim of Russian fascism” and that he had the courage to stand up to Putin. He added that even if no one “pulled the trigger”, he was killed by the conditions he was put in as he was imprisoned on false charges.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaia Kalas, who was added to Russia’s wanted list days ago, wrote in X that Navalny’s death was “another grim reminder of the rogue regime we are dealing with.”
Zelensky: Putin doesn’t care who dies as long as he keeps his post
Russian President Vladimir Putin must be held accountable for his crimes, Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelensky said on the news of Navalny’s death, France Press reported.
“It is obvious to me that (Alexei Navalny) was killed like thousands of others who were tortured to death because of one man, Putin, who does not care who dies as long as he keeps his post,” Zelensky said at a joint press conference with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.
The Ukrainian president believes that Putin “will have to answer for his crimes.”
Kasparov: Failing the poison quickly, Putin killed him slowly
“Putin failed to kill Navalny quickly and secretly by poisoning him, and now he killed him slowly and publicly in prison,” Kremlin opponent and former world chess champion Garry Kasparov said on the X social network.
“Navalny was killed for exposing Putin and his mafia for the crooks and thieves they are,” Kasparov added.
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