Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that he had approved a prisoner swap involving Alexei Navalny before the opposition leader's sudden death in an Arctic prison last month.
Speaking in central Moscow after early preliminary results showed that he had won Russia's presidential election in a landslide, Putin claimed that a few days before his passing, an unidentified party offered to release Navalny in exchange for a settlement with the West.
Putin Agrees to Navalny Prisoner Swap
Putin, who hardly ever mentions Navalny by name, responded to an NBC News query and said that a few days before Navalny passed away, he claimed some colleagues told him that there was an idea to exchange Navalny for some prisoners in Western countries.
"You may believe me; you may not. The person who spoke to me hadn't finished his sentence yet, and I said: 'I agree.' But unfortunately, what happened is what happened," Putin continued, speaking after seemingly declaring victory in the nation's elections.
Putin allegedly ordered Navalny's death to prevent him and two Americans from being released from prison. When Navalny passed away on February 16 at the age of 47, five sources informed NBC News that such a deal was being negotiated but that it was not imminent.
The Kremlin has been mostly blamed for his death.
Navalny's longtime ally, Leonid Volkov, said on Sunday that Putin had admitted to ordering Navalny's murder. He posted on X, formerly Twitter, that Putin killed Navalny, and now he has decided he does not need to pretend anymore.
Maria Pevchikh, a close ally of the opposition leader, said in a video last month that Navalny was scheduled to be swapped for Vadim Krasikov, a hitman for the Russian FSB serving a life term in Germany for the murder of a former Chechen insurgent in Berlin.
Furthermore, Putin said the only condition for the swap would have been for Navalny to never return to Russia.
Dmitry Peskov, Putin's press secretary, later stated that Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Navalny, currently living in Berlin, was allowed to see her husband in Russia but decided to remain overseas.
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Navalny's Widow Join 'Noon Against Putin' Protest
The Russian opposition leader Navalny's widow, Navalnaya, participated in a noon demonstration against Putin on Sunday in Berlin.
Navalny spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh shared photos of Navalnaya on X, formerly Twitter, waiting in line in Berlin, where Russians queued up to vote. Activists said some people clapped and screamed, "Yulia, Yulia."
The mother of two and educated economist Navalnaya has promised to continue his fight and bring the late Navalny and his life cause.
She noted that she was by Navalny's side all these years, including elections, protests, house arrest, searches, detention, prison, poisoning, protests again, arrest, and prison again.
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