Navalny's team has repeatedly accused the Kremlin of doing everything in its power to eliminate Putin's most important opponent. The warnings were ignored and, according to the prison administration, Navalny died in the penal colony in the Arctic region where he was transferred last year. Navalny's mother said she only visited her son in the prison camp on Monday. “He was alive, healthy and liked to have fun,” she told Kremlin-critical newspaper Novaya Gazeta.
US President Joe Biden directly blamed Putin. The news of his death did not surprise him, but it outraged him, Biden said in Washington. “Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death,” said Biden, who also acknowledged that the US still does not know the details of the death. “What happened to Navalny is further proof of Putin’s brutality. No one should be fooled.”
Portal/Leah Millis Biden directly blames Putin for Navalny's death
US “exploring options”
Navalny courageously stood up against corruption, violence “and all the bad things” that the Putin government had done. Aiming at a possible reaction from the US government, Biden said he was examining “options”, but did not give details.
It is obvious that Navalny was killed by Putin, as was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a press appearance in Berlin. Putin doesn't care who dies, he only cares about maintaining power. “It's obvious to me: he was killed. Just like thousands of others who were tortured to death because of this one person.” The Russian head of state must “pay for his crimes”.
Deep shock over Navalny's death
News of the death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny caused deep consternation among many on the sidelines of the security conference in Munich. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg made it clear that Russia now had to answer questions about the exact circumstances.
“The EU holds the Russian regime solely responsible”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reacted “deeply disturbed and saddened”: “A dark reminder of what Putin and his regime are,” von der Leyen wrote on X (Twitter). The Kremlin leader fears nothing more than opposition from his own people.
Navalny made “the ultimate sacrifice for his ideals,” said EU Council President Charles Michel on Friday at X. “The EU holds the Russian regime solely responsible for this tragic death,” he said. “Fighters die,” said Michel, but the fight for freedom never ends.
International reactions to Navalny's death
The death of Kremlin critic Navalny has provoked outrage and guilt in the West.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reacted “deeply affected and disturbed” and harshly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin. “What we have seen is that Russia has become an increasingly authoritarian power and has repressed opposition for many years,” he said. This is precisely why Russia must answer all the questions that are now being asked.
The UN Human Rights Office called on Moscow to release all those persecuted by the state. A spokeswoman for the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said he was “horrified” by Navalny’s death. From the cabinet's point of view, every time an inmate dies, it can be assumed that the respective state will be held responsible. “This liability can only be mitigated through an impartial, thorough and open investigation by an independent body,” he said. UN Secretary-General António Guterres was also shocked and called for a “comprehensive, credible and transparent investigation” into the circumstances.
Portal People remember Navalny at the memorial to the victims of political repression in St. Petersburg
Russian embassy protests against Van der Bellen
Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen reacted “shocked”, as he wrote in X. Putin “and his murderous regime are responsible for this”, said Van der Bellen, who also offered condolences to Navalny's family. Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) made similar statements, calling for an “international investigation” into the circumstances of the death.
Van der Bellen's reaction drew a response from the Russian embassy: “In connection with the offensive statements made by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen towards Russia and the Russian leadership, the embassy has lodged a firm protest with the Austrian Foreign Ministry. ”, said in the X A note verbale stressed that such outrageous rhetoric could not be tolerated.
I am devastated by the news of Aleksei Navalny's death. Vladimir Putin and his murderous regime are responsible for this. (1/2)
-A. Van der Bellen (@vanderbellen) February 16, 2024
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) praised Navalny, who died as a political prisoner, on Friday as a “champion of a more open and democratic Russia” and called for a “thorough and independent investigation into the circumstances of his death”.
In several European cities, including Vienna, protesters gathered in front of Russian embassies on Friday, shortly after Navalny's death became known. They shouted slogans like “Putin is a murderer.” More than 1,000 people gathered in Berlin, a police spokeswoman said.
APA/AFP/Vasily Maximov Navalny leaves behind his wife and campaign colleague Julia and two children
“Navalny was a prisoner of conscience who was persecuted by Russian authorities solely because of his peaceful political activism,” said Shoura Hashemi, executive director of Amnesty International in Austria.
Navalny “paid with his life”
French President Emmanuel Macron reacted angrily to X. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Navalny's death depressing. We now know exactly what kind of regime is in power in Moscow. Russia is “no longer a democracy”.
The Latvian head of state made it clear: “Regardless of what one thinks about Alexei Navalny as a politician, he was simply brutally murdered by the Kremlin,” Rinkevics said about should.” His condolences go out to Navalny's family and friends.
Whatever your thoughts about Alexey @Navalny as a politician, he was just brutally murdered by the Kremlin. That is a fact and it is something we should know about the true nature of Russia's current regime. My condolences to family and friends.
– Edgars Rinkēvičs (@edgarsrinkevics) February 16, 2024
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X: “Alexei, we will never forget you. And we will never forgive them.” The Polish Foreign Ministry said the Russian government was solely responsible for Navalny's death.
Nadezhdin pays tribute to Navalny
Russian opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin, who was recently barred from running for president, paid tribute to Navalny. He was “one of the most talented and courageous people in Russia,” the Telegram said.
Russia: “Self-exposed” accusations
The Russian Foreign Ministry criticized the allegations as “self-revealing”. Although forensic medical results on Navalny's death are not yet available, the West has already drawn its own conclusions, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov even said that the Western politicians' comments were “absolutely angry”.
In turn, the chairman of the Russian Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, turned the tables. Western politicians “who made a large number of wrong decisions and clung to their positions are benefiting from his death,” he said on Telegram, without going into detail about the accusation. He further accused the West of wanting to “destroy” Russia.
Navalny himself once told CNN: “If they decide to kill me, it means we are incredibly strong. We must use this power and not give up,” Navalny said. “We don’t realize how strong we really are.”