World leaders respond to reports of Putin critic Navalny’s death

World leaders and the spouse of popular Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny responded with discouragement and suspicion to reports of the Kremlin critic’s death in a Siberian chastening nest.

Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny’s spouse, was welcomed on Friday with a standing ovation as she dealt with the Munich Security Conference.

Composed however with tears in her eyes, Navalnaya informed the space that Russian declares that her spouse had actually collapsed and passed away were yet to be individually verified.

She stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his cronies in the Kremlin must be held responsible for the criminal offenses devoted versus her household and the nation at big.

“If it is the true, I would like Putin and all his staff … I want them to know that they will be punished for what they have done with our country, with my family, and with my husband,” she stated.

“This regime and Vladimir Putin should be held personally responsible for all the atrocities they have committed in our country these past years,” she stated.

President Joe Biden stated “Putin is responsible” for Navalny’s reported death. “Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death… What has happened to Navalny is yet more proof of Putin’s brutality,” Biden stated.

Reports of Navalny’s death â $” less than 6 months after the death of previous Putin ally and Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin â $” sent out reverberations around the top-level defense conference, and triggered responses from politicians around the globe.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated the reaction to Navalny’s reported death from Western leaders is “self-exposing” at a time when no forensic medical exam is yet readily available.

Russian media stated, pointing out the jail service of the Yamalo-Nenets area where Navalny had actually been serving a prolonged sentence on what were commonly thought about to be politically determined charges, that he had actually fallen ill and collapsed after a walk.

Navalny’s group stated they had yet to get verification of the death and questioned the accuracy of the statement.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris informed the Munich Security Conference on Friday that Washington was working to verify the “terrible” news.

“Whatever story they tell, let us be clear, Russia is responsible, and we will have more to say on this later,” she included.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated he was “deeply saddened and concerned” about the reports of Navalny’s death.

“All the facts have to be established and Russia has serious questions to answer,” he informed press reporters.

“Alexei Navalny has been a strong voice for freedom, for democracy, for many years, and NATO and NATO allies have called for his immediate release for a long time.”

The Kremlin critic appeared in court through video link previously in the week, relatively in excellent health and spirits regardless of the infamously harsh conditions of the chastening nest in which the 47- year-old was being hung on a 19- year sentence.

Yet Russian news firm Interfax reported on Friday that he “felt unwell after a walk, almost immediately losing consciousness.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated she was “deeply disturbed and saddened” by news of his death.

“Putin fears nothing more than dissent from his own people. A grim reminder of what Putin and his regime are all about. Let’s unite in our fight to safeguard the freedom and safety of those who dare to stand up against autocracy,” von der Leyen stated.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated if verified, Navalny’s death highlights the “weakness and rot” of the Russian political system constructed by Putin, and laid the blame directly at the door of the Kremlin.

“We’ll be talking to the many other countries concerned about Alexei Navalny, especially if these reports bear out to be true.”

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated in a post on social networks platform X that “as the fiercest advocate for Russian democracy, Alexei Navalny demonstrated incredible courage throughout his life.”

“My thoughts are with his wife and the people of Russia, for whom this is a huge tragedy,” he included.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated he was “deeply saddened” by the news which if verified, Navalny’s death was a “terrible” indication of how Russia had actually altered as a nation over the last few years.

Navalny “stood up for democracy and freedom in Russia – and apparently paid for his courage with his life. This terrible news shows once again how Russia has changed and what kind of regime is in power in Moscow,” he stated in a post on X.

French Foreign Minister St à © phane Sà © journà © stated on social networks that Navalny had “paid with his life for his resistance to a system of oppression,” according to a translation.

“His death in a penal colony reminds us of the reality of Vladimir Putin’s regime,” he included. “To his family, his loved ones and the Russian people, France offers its condolences.”

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom stated the statement was “dreadful news,” including that “the ruthlessness against Navalny shows again why it is necessary to continue to fight against authoritarianism.”

Russia: NATO allegations ‘self-exposing’

Seven members of the Russian federal government were approved by the U.S. in early 2021 for what has been individually confirmed as the poisoning of Navalny with a Novichok nerve representative in August 2020.

Navalny directly made it through and was transferred to Germany, however was jailed in January 2021 soon after showing up back in Russia, stimulating global protest.

In reaction, Russian Foreign Ministry representative Maria Zakharova stated through X that “the instant reaction of NATO leaders to the news of Alexey Navalny’s demise in the form of direct accusations vs Russia is self-exposing.”

She included, “No forensic medical examination data IS available, yet the West has already voiced its ‘conclusions’.”