According to Alexeï Navalny’s team, which spoke on Monday February 26, an agreement to exchange the opponent was ” ongoing and in its final phase » with Russian authorities before his death in prison. There was talk of an exchange “ Russian spies against political prisoners “.
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Alexeï Navalny was perhaps close to release before his sudden disappearance and in unclear circumstances, occurred on February 16 in prison. According to Maria Pevtchikh, a collaborator of the political opponent, he should have been exchanged in the company of “ two American citizens » detained by Moscow against a Russian imprisoned in Germany.
“ I received confirmation that negotiations are ongoing and in their final stages “, she explains, specifying that Alexeï Navalny “ should have been released in the coming days “. Those close to Vladimir Putin’s political opponent had been hard at work for two years to ” to go out “Navalny from prison” at all costs ”, on the basis of an exchange of “ Russian spies against political prisoners » detained in Russia.
Vadim Krassikov, murderer imprisoned in Germany, was included in the exchange
The United States and Germany were aware of this ongoing process, assures Maria Pevtchikh, without specifying exactly the role of the two chancelleries in the discussions. After several months without progress, the agreement “ had been put back on the table in December » 2023. According to her, Vadim Krassikov, sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2019 assassination in a Berlin park of a former Chechen separatistwas to be included in this exchange of prisoners.
German justice had affirmed that this murder in the capital was directly ordered by the Russian authorities, who have always denied any involvement. When questioned by journalists, the German government spokesperson refused to comment on the statements by Navalny’s team.
After several days of friction, Russian authorities handed over the body of Alexei Navalny to his family on February 24. The progress of opponent’s funeral is, for the moment, still unknown. Moscow would put pressure so that these funerals do not become a political platform for the Russian opposition, while the presidential election is scheduled for mid-March.
Also listenAlexeï Navalny, the Russian martyr
(and with AFP)