Tucker Carlson has yet to comment on the shocking death of Putin's political opponent Alexei Navalny – it came just days after the former Fox hitmaker's controversial interview with the Russian president and bizarre videos in which he praised Russian supermarkets.
Russian news agencies announced Navalny's death on Friday morning, citing the Siberian prison service where he was serving a nineteen-year sentence for “extremism,” sparking shock and anger around the world.
“On February 16, 2024, in Correctional Colony No. 3, convict Navalny AA felt unwell after a walk and almost immediately lost consciousness,” prison officials said in a statement. “Emergency doctors confirmed the death of the convict,” it said.
World leaders, including Latvia's president, blame Putin for Navalny's death.
Carlson has not yet issued a statement on the death of Putin's harshest critic, who had previously survived an assassination attempt using the nerve agent Novichok.
Tucker Carlson published a bizarre interview with Putin in which the Russian president controlled the narrative
The Russian prison service announced the death of Alexei Navalny on Friday morning
In another bizarre video, Carlson praised Russia for its low food prices
It comes just days after the former Fox News host released a bizarre interview with Putin in which the Russian president controlled the narrative and made a series of claims about his invasion of Ukraine.
Carlson praised Russia throughout, calling Moscow “so much more beautiful than any other city in my country.”
'I had no idea. It is much cleaner, safer and more aesthetic. Its architecture, food and services are greater than any other city in the United States. And that’s not ideological,” he enthused.
When Carlson was criticized at the World Government Summit for the limitations of the interview, particularly for not mentioning Navalny's imprisonment, he said: “Every leader kills people, leadership requires killing people.”
In another bizarre video, Carlson praised Russia for its low food prices and fresh produce.
The former Fox News hothead pushed a shopping cart through a Russian supermarket while marveling at the stock as he continued his Putin PR tour earlier this week.
In a video Carlson 54 uploaded to his social media accounts, he shouts, “Look at this!” while sniffing a loaf of bread while listening to upbeat music.
Navalny was last seen via video link during a court hearing on Thursday
Navalny with his wife Julia Navalnja, 47, with whom he has two children
Carlson reaches the register and notices the corresponding price of $400 for a week's worth of groceries for him and his team.
The former presenter says the revelation moved him from “amusement to justifiable anger” at how his home country appears to be charging much more for staples like food.
The video sparked much ridicule online as many pointed out the discrepancy between the average wage in Russia – which is the equivalent of $9,072 – or 6.5 times less than the average US salary of $59,428.
Navalny was last seen via video link during a court hearing on Thursday.
In his black prison uniform, he seemed to be in a good mood – his typical humor was on display again.
“Your honor, I'm going to send you my personal account number so you can use your huge salary as a federal judge to warm up my personal account because I'm running out of money,” he said.
Navalny's mother Lyudmila said she saw her son in the prison colony on Monday. At the time, she said, “He was alive, healthy, happy.”
Navalny's spokeswoman said on the social media platform X that she could not confirm his death. Kira Yarmysh said that Navalny's lawyer traveled to the site of the prison where he served his sentence.
Putin was seen on Friday at the Chelyabinsk Forging and Pressing Plant in Chelyabinsk, Russia
The Kremlin has not yet made an official statement on Navalny's death
Leonid Volkov, a Navalny adviser, said: “The Federal Penitentiary Service in the Yamal-Nenets District is spreading news about the death of Alexei Navalny in IK-3.”
“We don’t have any confirmation on this yet.” Alexey’s lawyer is now flying to Kharp. As soon as we have information, we will report it.”
“Tucker Carlson couldn’t be bothered to ask about Navalny’s poisoning and wrongful imprisonment — he was too busy being Putin’s fanboy and raving about subways and groceries,” wrote Julia Davis, founder of Russian Media Monitor , on X
“Navalny was just killed by Putin, while Tucker Carlson is making pro-Kremlin propaganda in Russian grocery stores and subway stations. I can’t believe this reality we live in,” Andrew Mercado wrote on X.