Putin's admission: Navalny's death and the unfulfilled prisoner swap
Vladimir Putin confirmed media reports that just before the death of Alexei Navalny, he had agreed to exchange him for Russians held in the West. "He is gone, which is always a sad event," the Russian dictator stated.
Many reports by Russian media or representatives of the authorities are elements of propaganda. These reports are part of the information war conducted by the Russian Federation.
On 15 February, Russian authorities announced the unexpected death of Navalny. He was the most well-known political opponent of President Vladimir Putin. The politician died in a labor camp located beyond the Arctic Circle, where he was serving a 19-year prison sentence.
According to the latest reports, Putin met with Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich shortly before Navalny's death to discuss the details of the planned prisoner exchange involving Navalny. During the meeting, they discussed the details of the planned exchange of prisoners.
The talks took place about four hours before the prison authorities' first announcement of the opposition figure's death - reported by the Russian investigative portal Agency at the beginning of March.
Putin confirms media reports
On Sunday, during a speech at the headquarters of the Central Election Commission, just after the announcement of the preliminary results of the presidential elections, Vladimir Putin confirmed that he had agreed to exchange Navalny for Russian prisoners in the West.
As he argued, talk of releasing the Russian opposition figure took place shortly before his unexpected death. "Yes, he died. It's always a sad event. We had other cases where people died. Didn't that happen in the USA? There was an idea to exchange Navalny for those who are in Western countries, I agreed, we wanted to exchange him, so he wouldn't return, but it (death - note) happens, such is life," he said in a brazen manner.
Maria Pevchikh, who worked with Navalny, has already harshly commented on Putin's statement. "I am speechless. What a cynical, lying scum. Unimaginable," she wrote on the platform X.
According to the exit poll results provided by the Russian agency TASS on Sunday evening, Vladimir Putin won more than 87 percent of the votes in the presidential elections. However, do not expect too many congratulations from other leaders. The West questions the credibility of the elections, and experts call for rejecting their results.
