For now, Moscow is shrugging off all responsibilities.
The Kremlin assured Friday that Western accusations and criticism of Moscow after the death in prison of the main Russian opponent Alexeï Navalny were “absolutely unacceptable”, while ensuring that it did not immediately know the cause of death.
“There is no information on the cause of death and yet such statements follow one another (...) We consider such statements to be absolutely unacceptable,” declared Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin's spokesperson, quoted by Russian news agencies.
The number one opponent of the Kremlin died, according to the authorities, in his Arctic prison, a death which comes one month before the presidential election which should once again cement the power of Vladimir Putin.
His disappearance at the age of 47 after three years of detention and a poisoning for which he accused the government deprives an already bloodless opposition of its figurehead, the Russian authorities having orchestrated a merciless repression of all his detractors, particularly since the start of the he assault on Ukraine two years ago.
Outrage in the West
The announcement of his death sparked outrage in the West, with the EU pointing out the sole responsibility of the “Russian regime” and certain countries citing a crime by Vladimir Putin.
The EU holds “the Russian regime” “solely responsible for the tragic death” of Alexeï Navalny, declared the President of the European Council Charles Michel.
Russia “must answer serious questions” regarding the death of the political opponent, declared NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the sidelines of the Security Conference in Munich, Germany.
For the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken, Russia is responsible” for the situation leading to the death of Alexeï Navalny, which underlines “the weakness and corruption” of Vladimir Putin’s system.
Also read Death of Alexeï Navalny: “The chapter of the Russian political opposition is closed”
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said it was “outraged” by the death of Alexei Navalny and called for an “end to persecution” in Russia.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Vladimir Putin a “monster” who “will suppress anyone who fights for the freedom of the Russian people.”
“In today's Russia, we put free spirits in the gulag and condemn them to death,” denounced French President Emmanuel Macron on X, expressing “anger and indignation”.