Maria Pevchikh, head of Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, confirmed that the opponent was to be released as part of a prisoner exchange with the US and Germany.
The exchange, she added, was also supposed to lead to the release of two American citizens detained in Russia in exchange for Vadim Krasikov, former colonel of the Russian security services FSB, detained in Germany for murder.
In a video Pevchikh states that the agreement was in a final stage after two years of negotiations and that the final proposal had been delivered to Russian President Vladimir Putin by Roman Abramovich.
It provided for the release, together with Navalny, of the American citizens Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, detained in Russia on charges of espionage.
Again according to Pevchikh, Putin however decided to kill Navalny, who he considered too dangerous, and then obtain Krasikov's release with another political prisoner.
Navalny's aide also accused American and German officials of having delayed the possible exchange due to their passivity.
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