Negotiations for Prisoner Exchange Involving Alexei Navalny and Americans Ended with His Death, Associate Claims
In a shocking revelation, one of Alexei Navalny’s associates has claimed that negotiations for a prisoner exchange involving the Russian opposition leader and two Americans came to an abrupt end with Navalny’s death in prison. Maria Pevchikh, who chairs Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, made this claim in a video address on YouTube. According to Pevchikh, the negotiations were in their final stages on February 15, just before Navalny’s death in the “Polar Wolf” prison colony in northern Russia.
The proposed exchange would have involved swapping Navalny for Vadim Krasikov, a convicted Russian assassin serving a life sentence in Germany. Pevchikh alleged that Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich had raised the idea with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, Putin could not accept Navalny’s release and decided to “get rid of the bargaining chip” by eliminating Navalny and negotiating Krasikov’s exchange for other prisoners at a later date.
The possibility of a prisoner exchange deal involving Navalny was first reported by the German tabloid Bild on February 16. The report quoted officials from several countries who believed that a multilateral deal to swap Russian prisoners in Western countries for Western citizens held in Russia, as well as political prisoners like Navalny, was possible.
Navalny’s death in prison has sparked international outrage, with Western leaders holding Putin responsible. However, Russia’s investigation into Navalny’s death concluded that he died of “natural causes.” The Kremlin has strongly criticized Western leaders for their accusations against Putin.
Pevchikh did not disclose the identities of the two Americans who would have been included in the exchange. However, Putin hinted in a recent interview with former Fox News television host Tucker Carlson that he would be willing to exchange Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested last March and accused of espionage, for Krasikov. Putin described Krasikov as acting out of “patriotic” motives.
Pevchikh revealed that she and other members of Navalny’s team had been working for at least two years to secure his release through a prisoner exchange on humanitarian grounds. Initially, Western officials lacked the political will or desire to help. However, Navalny’s team persisted, making hundreds of phone calls and dozens of trips to try to make the exchange happen. They also sought the support of influential individuals to persuade Western politicians to take action.
Navalny’s death has left his team devastated, and they are now seeking a hall where his body can be laid out for a public farewell ceremony. They want to follow the tradition of holding such ceremonies for Russian public figures, politicians, and celebrities. Navalny’s mother has expressed her desire for the farewell and funeral to be held in Moscow.
The Russian investigators handed Navalny’s body to his mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, after she had struggled with Russian officials for eight days to recover it. She claimed that Investigative Committee officials had pressured her to agree to a private burial or they would allow her son’s body to decompose. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed these claims as “absurd” and denied any involvement from the Kremlin.
The news of Navalny’s death has sparked widespread outrage among the Russian public, with nearly 100,000 people signing a petition calling for his body to be handed to his mother. Many actors, writers, activists, journalists, and celebrities have also recorded videos demanding the same.
The tragic death of Alexei Navalny has not only raised questions about his treatment in prison but has also shed light on the complexities of international prisoner exchanges. As the world mourns the loss of a prominent opposition leader, the focus now shifts to seeking justice and holding those responsible accountable.