The News
Alexei Navalny was killed after his team nearly secured a prisoner exchange and his release from a Russian prison, an ally of the Russian opposition figure said on Monday.
Maria Pevchikh, chair of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, said that an offer had been made to swap two American citizens and Navalny for a Russian ex-Federal Security Service member. “I received confirmation that the negotiations were at their final stage on the evening of Feb. 15,” Pevchikh said in a video statement published Monday.
Allies of the dissident politician have maintained that he was killed by Russian President Vladimir Putin since his death at an Arctic penal colony on Feb. 16. The Kremlin has denied the allegations.
Pevchikh did not name the Americans who might be involved in the exchange, but Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, and Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, have both been imprisoned in Russia and Washington is working to secure their release.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
