No sooner did the information about Navalny’s death come to the fore, when reactions from world leaders began pouring in wherein they condemned the death and held Russian President Putin responsible for the death.
European leaders issued a statement on Navalny’s death, including US Vice President Kamala Harris, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Nato chief, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
‘Further sign of Putin’s brutality’
Kamala Harris said the United States is working to confirm the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. She further said that Navalny’s death would be a further sign of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s brutality.
Actively seeking confirmation of death, says White House
The National Security Advisor of the United States said that if confirmed, Navalny’s death would be a terrible tragedy. He further said that the US is actively seeking confirmation of Navalny’s death.
‘Navalny killed by Putin’s regime’
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has been embroiled in a war with Russia for nearly three years, said that it was “obvious” that Alexei Navalny was killed by the regime of President Vladimir Putin, who must be held to account over his death.
“Obviously he was killed by Putin. Like thousands of others who have been tortured,” said Zelenskyy, adding that this demonstrates why Putin must be made to “lose everything and held accountable for his actions”.
‘Russia has serious questions to answer’
Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said that he was deeply saddened and disturbed by the reports on the death of Alexei Navalny. He said that Russia needs to answer all the serious questions about the circumstances of Navalny’s death and establish all the facts.
“We need to establish all the facts, and Russia needs to answer all the serious questions about the circumstances of his death,” Stoltenberg said.
ATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday he was “deeply saddened and disturbed” by the reports on the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
“We need to establish all the facts, and Russia needs to answer all the serious questions about the circumstances of his death,” Stoltenberg said.
‘He has probably now paid for this courage’
“I met Navalny here in Berlin when he was trying to recover in Germany from the poisoning attack and also talked to him about the great courage it takes to return to his country. And he has probably now paid for this courage with his life,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.
‘Navalny demonstrated incredible courage throughout his life’
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on news of Alexei Navalny’s death was terrible, and paid tribute to the Russian opposition leader.
“This is terrible news. As the fiercest advocate for Russian democracy, Alexei Navalny demonstrated incredible courage throughout his life,” Sunak said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“We should hold Putin accountable for this,” British foreign minister David Cameron said.
‘President Putin personally responsible’
“Dreadful news about Alexei Navalny. My thoughts are with his family and friends. The Russian authorities, and President Putin personally, are responsible for Alexei Navalny no longer being alive,” Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson said.
‘We will never forget’
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk pledged on Friday to “never forgive” following an earlier announcement of the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s death in prison.
“Alexei, we will never forget you. And we will never forgive them,” Tusk said on X (formerly Twitter), referring to the death of the Kremlin critic.
‘Navalny’s death is new warning to world’
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the death of top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny in prison Friday was a warning to the world and called for clarification on what happened.
“The death of Alexei Navalny during his detention is another sad page that acts as a warning to the international community,” Meloni said in a statement, offering her condolences and expressing hope that “this disturbing event will be fully clarified”.
Navalny’s family reacts
Meanwhile, Navalny’s press secretary Kira Yarmysh has said that his team had not been informed of his death.
“Alexei’s lawyer is now flying to Kharp,” where his prison colony is, she said in a post on social media.
Navalny’s mother refuted the reports which claimed her son’s death. “I don’t want to hear any condolences,” she said. She further added that she saw Navalny in prison on February 12 and he was alive, healthy and happy.
“I’d like Putin and all his staff… to know that they will be punished for what they have done with our country, with my family and with my husband,” Yulia Navalnaya told the Munich Security Conference.
‘Reason behind death unknown’
While the reason behind his death has not been confirmed, the Russian authority said that Navalny “felt unwell” after a walk on Friday, and “almost immediately lost consciousness”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Russia’s penitentiary service was making all checks regarding the death of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, but that he had no information about the matter.
He also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed about Navalny’s death.
US making ‘sweeping accusations’, says Russia
Russia’s foreign ministry accused the United States of making “sweeping accusations” over who was to blame for the death of prominent Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Friday.
“The death of a person is always a tragedy,” it said. “Instead of sweeping accusations, one ought to show restraint and wait for the official results of the forensic medical examination.”
Russia’s investigative committee said that it had launched a procedural probe into the death.
(With agencies inputs)