‘They are lying…’: Alexei Navalny’s wife as Russian officials share news of Putin critic’s death
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Yulia Navalnaya to offer condolences and reiterated that Russia would be responsible if Navalny's death is confirmed.
Russian officials have announced the death of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny at a high security prison above the Arctic Circle. The stunning development wrought international outrage on Friday afternoon while other dismissed the Federal Penitentiary Service statement as fake news.
“We cannot believe Putin’s government. They are lying constantly. But if this is the truth…I'd like Putin and all his staff to know that they will be punished for what they have done with our country, with my family and with my husband. We should fight this horrific regime in Russia today. Vladimir Putin should be personally held for all the atrocities they have committed in our country in the last years,” Yulia Navalnaya told the Munich Security Conference.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Navalnaya on the sidelines of the event to express his condolences. According to details shared by the State Department, the top official also “reiterated that Russia is responsible for his death” if the reports were true.
ALSO READ: Vladimir Putin critic passes away in Russian prison — Who was Alexei Navalny?
Meanwhile his mother Liumila Navalnaya insisted that she did not want to “hear any condolences”.
“I don't want to hear any condolences. We saw him in prison on the (Feb) 12, in a meeting. He was alive, healthy and happy,” Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta quoted her as writing on Facebook.
The politician's team said they had no confirmation of his death at this time. Navalny aide Leonid Volkov his lawyer was travelling to the site of the prison where the opposition leader had been serving his sentence.
According to the official statement medical staff at the high security prison were unable to revive Navalny after he fell sick during a walk. No cause of death was given. The statement indicated that an investigation is underway.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Business NewsNewsWorld‘They are lying…’: Alexei Navalny’s wife as Russian officials share news of Putin critic’s death
First Published:16 Feb 2024, 08:57 PM IST
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