Navalny’s ally Maria Pevchikh claimed on Monday that Alexei Navalny was due to be released in a prisoner exchange. Putin’s staunch opponent Alexei Navalny was killed in a Siberian prison. Pevchikh said that on the evening of February 15 it was confirmed that negotiations for the swap were in the final stages. He alleged that Navalny was Was killed days later.

Navalny’s ally Maria Pevchikh claimed on Monday that Alexei Navalny was due to be released in a prisoner exchange. Negotiations for the exchange of Navalny and two American citizens for Vadim Krasikov of the Russian FSB security service, who is jailed in Germany, were in the final stages. He once again accused President Vladimir Putin of killing him.

Putin’s staunch opponent Alexei Navalny died in a Siberian prison. Pevchikh said it was confirmed on the evening of February 15 that negotiations for the swap were in the final stages. He alleged that Navalny was killed a day later because Putin could not stand the idea of him being independent.

Two American citizens were going to be exchanged

Although Pevchikh did not name the two US citizens, the US has said it is trying to bring back Wall Street Journal reporter Ivan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan. A Russian source told Reuters that the prisoner swap was to take place in mid-February and that Navalny and his wife had both agreed to it.

Putin said this month that talks were ongoing between Russian and US intelligence agencies regarding Gershkovich, but made no mention of Navalny. The Kremlin on Monday described as absurd allegations that Russian officials had arrested Alexei Navalny. Did anyone put any pressure on his mother regarding the last rites?

Appeal to Putin, did the mother and wife get help?

Asked whether the handover of the body was expedited following appeals to Putin by Navalny’s mother and his wife Yulia, the Kremlin said the Russian president was not involved in the process. A supporter said on Friday that Russian authorities had given Navalny’s mother Lyudmila an ultimatum to agree within three hours to bury him without a public funeral or he would be buried in prison.

The body was handed over to his mother in the Arctic city of Salekhard on Saturday. His burial arrangements have not yet been announced. Australia imposes sanctions on Russian prison officersAustralia has imposed financial and travel sanctions on seven Russian prison officers accused of mistreatment of Alexei Navalny in a Siberian penal colony. Navalny recently died in this prison. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said Australia holds President Putin and the Russian government responsible for Navalny’s death in custody.