As of: February 18, 2024, 4:51 a.m
By: Jens Kiffmeier, Lisa Mahnke
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The news of the death of Putin critic Alexei Navalny caused international outrage.
The reactions show anger and sadness.
Putin cracks down on mourners.
Update from February 17th, 7:28 a.m.:
In Russia, many supporters are mourning the death of Alexei Navalny, according to authorities.
Russia's police take tough action against the mourners.
By late Friday evening, more than 100 people had been arrested at commemorative events in several Russian cities, the civil rights organization Ovd-Info said.
Arrests were reported in the capital Moscow, the Baltic Sea metropolis of St. Petersburg and six other cities, among others.
People came to lay flowers in memory of Navalny, who, according to official sources, died at the age of 47 in a prison camp in Russia's far north.
According to media reports, journalists were among those arrested.
In Moscow, there was a large police presence in the city center well into the night, as a reporter from the German Press Agency reported on site.
In the meantime, people had waited in a long line to place flowers at the so-called Solovetsky Stone, which is dedicated to victims of political repression.
Many were allowed through to the stone, but were intimidated by police officers and constantly warned to leave the place quickly.
“I went to pay tribute,” a supporter in Moscow told the
Moscow Times
.
According to the report, smaller commemorative events are taking place in many Russian cities.
Navalny supporters are also mourning publicly internationally.
According to the report, Russian emigrants also met in Berlin, Belgrade, Tel Aviv, Brussels and other cities.
“We have been robbed of hope,” a mourner in Brussels told the paper.
Especially since the beginning of the war of aggression against Ukraine around two years ago, Russia's power apparatus has taken harsh and repressive action against dissidents in its own country.
That's why there are hardly any major protests anymore.
Vladimir Putin is taking tough action against grieving Navalny supporters in Russia.
© IMAGO / SOPA Images
Biden on Navalny's death: "Putin is responsible"
Update from February 16, 10:27 p.m.:
“It confirms our worst fears and our view of Putin for what he is,” says Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in today’s journal on the death of Alexei Navalny.
The Kremlin critic first paid for his step back to Russia with prison, then with his life, explains the SPD politician in the ZDF interview - and adds: "You don't have to be a criminalist to have a strong suspicion of a crime."
Update from February 16, 7:21 p.m.:
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has described the reactions of Western politicians to the death of the popular opposition politician Alexei Navalny as “overwrought” and “unacceptable”.
According to the Interfax agency, Peskov said on Friday evening that there was still no precise information from doctors, forensic experts or the penal system.
Nevertheless, there are already reactions from the West.
“It is obvious that these are completely over-the-top and absolutely unacceptable statements.
They are unacceptable,” criticized Peskov.
“I don’t have anything more to say on this topic.”
After the death of Alexei Navalny, US President Biden blames Vladimir Putin.
© dpa/AP |
Dmitry Serebryakov + dpa/AP |
Evan Vucci
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Report on Navalny's death: Biden blames Putin
Update from February 16, 7:07 p.m.:
There is a clear apportionment of blame from Washington: US President Joe Biden blames Russian President Vladimir Putin for the fate of opposition figure Alexei Navalny after reports of his death emerged.
Although the exact circumstances remain unclear, Biden says there is no doubt that Navalny's death is a direct consequence of Putin's actions and those of his criminals.
“Putin is responsible,” Biden said Friday at the White House.
Update from February 16, 2024, 3:52 p.m.:
Now the mother of Kremlin opponent Alexei Navalny has also commented on the death reports: “I don't want to hear any expressions of condolence,” the woman told the Kremlin-critical newspaper
Novaya
Gazeta .
“He was alive, healthy and full of life.” So far, Navalny's family doesn't know more than what was generally reported from the prison system.
“This is not the first time that the start of a Munich security conference was influenced by a surprise from Putin.
Two years ago it was the attack on Ukraine,” said Mark Malloch-Brown, president of the Open Society Foundations.
“In today’s Russia, free spirits are put in the gulag and sentenced to death,” French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X, expressing “anger and indignation” at the news.
The news of the death of her husband Alexei Navalny reached Julia Navalnaya at the Siko in Munich.
© Sven Hoppe/dpa
Wife Julija Navalny speaks at the Munich Security Conference
Update from February 16, 2024, 3:30 p.m.:
Julija Navalny, the wife of the allegedly dead Alexei Navalny, spoke at the Munich Security Conference.
She wasn't sure whether she should speak in Munich.
“Then I thought about what Alexei would have done.” She doesn’t yet know whether she can believe the news.
“I don’t know whether we should believe the terrible news we receive exclusively from Russian state sources,” she said.
“We cannot believe Putin and Putin’s government,” she added.
“You always lie,” she continued.
“You will be punished,” said Yulia Navalny, calling on the international community to react.
“Alexei Navalny fought for a democratic Russia.
“Putin tortured him to death for this,” Finance Minister Christian Lindner wrote on X. It was new evidence of “the criminal character of this regime.”
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) also spoke up: “Like no other, Alexei Navalny was a symbol of a free and democratic Russia.
That’s exactly why he had to die.”
Update from February 16, 2024, 3:13 p.m.:
The Munich Security Conference started shortly after the announcement of Navalny's alleged death.
SiKo boss Christoph Heusgen opened the event with words of sadness.
Navalny was a “very special person,” said Heusgen.
“If the reports are confirmed, it will be further evidence of Vladimir Putin’s brutality,” US Vice President Kamala Harris said on the podium at the event.
Not everyone believes in the evidentiary value of the Navalny video, which was allegedly recorded at a court hearing yesterday and is circulating on Platform X.
Some assume an earlier recording date.
However, Leonid Volkov, one of Navalny's closest aides, is certain: If the news of Navalny's death is true, then "Nawalny" did not just die, but Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin "killed Navalny and just like that," said Volkov.
According to the
German Press Agency
, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Navalny's alleged death demonstrated the "weakness and rot" of Putin's system.
Angela Merkel reacts to news of Navalny's death
Update from February 16, 2024, 2:36 p.m.:
Former Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) also commented on
Bild
: “He was a victim of Russia's repressive state power.
It is terrible that a courageous, fearless voice that stood up for his country was silenced using terrible methods.”
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) also reacted with dismay: “Alexander Navalny’s death shakes me to the core,” the Economics and Climate Protection Minister told the
German Press Agency
.
“The Putin regime has him on his conscience,” Habeck continued.
“He was a patriot who stood up for democracy and the rule of law and loved his country and the people there.
More than his own life.”
CSU politician suspects: “Murdered by the cowardly dictator Putin” – Navalny team on the way to the penal colony
Jürgen Hardt, the CSU member of the Bundestag and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote to IPPEN.MEDIA: “Alexei Navalny's death is a tragedy and a loss for the democracy movement and human rights in Russia.
Alexei Navalny was murdered by the cowardly dictator Putin." Hardt expressed a clear suspicion as to why Navalny should now be dead: "Nawalny was such a great danger to Putin because he showed the other side of Russia: inspired by responsibility instead of megalomania.
For Navalny, the individual always had value and one can hardly move further away from Putin’s regime.”
Alexei Navalny's German lawyer Nikolaos Gazeas, like the journalist Francis Scarr, expressed surprise at the suspected death of Navalny to the
Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger
.
Before yesterday's video link (Thursday, February 15th), the Kremlin critic was visited by a Russian lawyer on Wednesday.
“He was doing well under the circumstances,” said Gazeas.
The German lawyer stated that a Russian lawyer colleague was on the way to prison to obtain information on site.
However, he already indicated that details about the background would initially be postponed out of consideration for the family.
Navalny declared dead in Russia
First report from February 16th:
Moscow – Kremlin opponent Alexei Navalny is said to have died in prison, Russian authorities claim.
International voices are now reacting to the alleged death of the most famous Kremlin critic.
Navalny's team has not yet been able to confirm the death, said spokeswoman Kira Jarmysch on X, formerly Twitter.
Reactions range from skepticism to regret and anger.
Within less than an hour, the hashtag #Nawalny was trending on Twitter.
Some blame Russian leader Vladimir Putin personally for Navalny's death.
In some cases, consequences are demanded for those responsible.
Regret in Germany and Europe: Navalny a “hero”
Germany's Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) described the alleged death of opposition politician Alexei Navalny on X as a "crime".
He showed great courage by standing up to Vladimir Putin and fighting for freedom and human rights.
“Today is a black day,” said the FDP member.
“Today we don’t talk about heroes anymore.
But for me #Nawalny was a hero,” wrote Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD).
“No one should be deceived about Putin’s murderous system,” demanded Green Party leader Ricarda Lang.
Olaf Scholz, who met with Volodymyr Zelenskyj on Friday to support Ukraine, also initially addressed the Kremlin critic's death in the subsequent press conference.
During a visit, he spoke to the Russian opposition figure about the “great courage it takes to return to the country.”
“He has probably now paid for this courage with his life,” said the Chancellor.
Russia is “no longer a democracy.”
“As the fiercest defender of Russian democracy, Alexei Navalny has shown incredible courage throughout his life,” wrote British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on X. “My thoughts are with his wife and the Russian people, for whom this is a tremendous tragedy.” The According to the
dpa,
French Foreign Minister Stéphane Sejourne
also expressed his regret: “His resistance to a system of oppression cost him his life.” According to Sejourne, Navalny's death is a reminder of the reality of the regime.
Critical voices question Navalny's alleged death: Putin responsible?
Former Deputy Interior Minister of Ukraine and current adviser to the office, Anton Gerashchenko, wrote on X: “To say 'Navalny died' is wrong.
'Navalny was murdered by Putin' is the right way to go." BBC journalist Francis Scarr was also skeptical and wrote, including video footage: "Yesterday, Navalny seemed to be doing well at a court hearing." Russian Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitri Muratov described the death of the opposition also as murder.
EU Council President Charles Michel said, according to the
German Press Agency
, that the EU thinks so
“Russian regime solely responsible” for the supposed death of the Kremlin critic.
Navalny made “the ultimate sacrifice for his ideals”.
“It is obvious to me that he was killed,” said Ukrainian President Zelensky in the press conference held with Scholz.
Navalny declared dead in Russia: demand for consequences
Now the first calls for consequences began to emerge, for example from Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.
According to the dpa
, he wrote
that those responsible “must be brought to justice.”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg demanded: “We have to clarify all the facts.”
The first changes are already beginning to appear on the Russian financial market in response to Navalny's alleged death.
After the alleged death became known, the national currency, the ruble, fell drastically to 93 rubles to the dollar.
(lismah/dpa)