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 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 obtained 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.
These officials “nodded understandingly, said it was right to help Navalny and political prisoners, shook hands and promised, but did nothing,” Pevchikh said.
The Navalny aide added that the opponent's team also sought the help of what she called influential "friends of Putin", among whom she cited Henry Kissinger.
“I mention it because he died, and he didn't help anyway,” she pointed out.
“But,” he continued, “there were those who helped and they don't want their names revealed, but I am grateful to each and every one of them.”
According to Pevchikh, the agreement could have been closed as early as the spring of 2023, but then only last December did active work begin again, until its possible conclusion in this month of February.
Navalny's team seeks hall for public funerals
“We are looking for a hall for the public farewell to Alexei at the end of this working week.”
The former spokesperson of the Kremlin opponent, Kira Yarmysh, writes this on X.
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