On Saturday, Navalny’s spokesperson Kira Jarmysh wrote on X that the opposition politician’s body had been handed over to his mother, just over a week after the Russian prison authority announced that Navalny had died in prison. Shortly before the extradition, several Russian celebrities had demanded that the body be handed over to the mother.
Now Maria Pevtjich, chairwoman of Navalny’s anti-corruption fund, states that he would have been exchanged, along with two American citizens. The exchange would have taken place just days after the death in exchange for a Russian hitman, Vadim Krasikov, who was convicted of a murder in Berlin.
– On the evening of February 15, I received information that negotiations were ongoing and in the final stages. On February 16, Navalny was murdered, says Pevchich in the clip.
Planned exchange
Pevtchich does not mention who the two Americans are, but American journalist Evan Gershkovich is imprisoned in Russia on charges of espionage.
According to Pevtchich, Navalny’s team “for the past two years” had been working on an exchange in which political prisoners in Russia would be released in exchange for Russian spies.
On Sunday, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service, stated that Alexei Navalny died of natural causes. Specifically, a blood clot.
– I’m sorry to disappoint you. But this is more or less confirmed, it’s not something we took from the internet unfortunately, Budanov told Ukrainian television.
A memorial service is being planned
The cause of death is the same as stated by Russia, but which has been strongly questioned in the outside world – not least when Russia’s treatment of Navalny is considered to have caused a “natural death”.
“He’s lying,” Pevtchich wrote on X shortly after Budanov’s statement.
Meanwhile, Navalny’s spokesman Kira Jarmysh said on Monday that a public memorial service is planned for the end of the week.