Alexei Navalny’s ally Maria Pevchikh revealed that plans were in motion for Navalny’s release in a prisoner exchange deal before his untimely death. Pevchikh stated that negotiations were in their final stages on February 15th, with Navalny set to be swapped for Russian hitman Vadim Krasikov, who is serving a life sentence for murder in Germany. Additionally, two US citizens held in Russia were also part of the proposed exchange.
Navalny tragically passed away the following day in his Siberian prison cell, where he was serving a politically contentious 19-year sentence. Prison officials cited his falling ill after a walk as the cause of death. Pevchikh, chairwoman of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, disclosed that discussions for the prisoner swap had been ongoing for two years, with heightened urgency amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
According to Pevchikh, American and German officials were involved in the talks, and a concrete plan for the exchange was finalized in December. The deal included Krasikov, convicted of assassinating a former Chechen rebel commander in Germany, and two unnamed US nationals detained in Russia. However, President Putin reportedly reversed course at the last minute, unwilling to see Navalny released.
Pevchikh asserted that Putin’s change of heart stemmed from his intense animosity towards Navalny, fearing his political influence. She described Putin’s behavior as consistent with past actions, wherein promises made by the Kremlin often diverge from actual outcomes. Despite the Kremlin’s silence on Pevchikh’s claims, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov previously dismissed allegations of government involvement in Navalny’s death as “absurd.”
Following Navalny’s death, authorities initially refused to release his body to his mother, relenting eight days later. Navalny’s allies sought a venue for a public farewell, though such gatherings are likely to be closely monitored by authorities. Meanwhile, hundreds of Russians faced arrest for laying flower tributes to Navalny across the country, reflecting the enduring impact of his activism even in death.