Alexei Navalny died of ‘sudden death syndrome,’ authorities claim as devastated mom forbidden to see Putin critic’s body
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died from a medical condition called “sudden death syndrome,” authorities claimed Saturday, galling family members and supporters who said he was murdered.
Navalny, 47, died Friday in Russia’s brutal IK-3 penal colony in remote Kharp, about 1,200 miles northeast of Moscow.
His mother spent Saturday searching for his body, while authorities mocked her grief by announcing the unusual cause of death.
“When Alexei’s lawyer and mother arrived at the colony this morning, they were told that the cause of Navalny’s death was sudden death syndrome,” Ivan Zhdanov, who directs Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, wrote Saturday on X.
The syndrome usually involves cardiac issues which cause a person’s unexpected death.
His family — and the world — chafed at the announcement.
“Alexey Navalny was murdered. His death occurred on February 16 at 2:17 p.m. local time, according to the official message to Alexey’s mother,” Navalny’s spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh wrote on X.
Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service originally claimed “the convict” collapsed and died after he “felt unwell” during a walk.
While the Kremlin has denied responsibility for Navalny’s death, world leaders with the Group of 7 countries demanded Russia clarify the circumstances and at least one pinned the blame squarely on Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
“Putin kills whoever he wants,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday
Navalny’s demise removes one of the few remaining political obstacles for Putin, who also notched a military victory a day later when Ukrainian troops withdrew from the city of Avdiivka, considered a “strong point” for Ukraine’s defense. .https://nypost.com/2024/02/17/world-news/ukraine-withdraws-from-avdiivka-handing-russia-key-victory/
The city is a bulwark for a nearby logistical hub for the Ukrainian Army, Mykola Bielieskov, a military analyst at the National Institute for Strategic Studies in Ukraine, told The New York Times.
“Taking control of Avdiivka might create an opening for Russia,” he said.
What is Novichok?
- Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s widow has claimed that her husband was murdered by Vladimir Putin’s regime with the nerve agent Novichok.
- Navalny was found dead after collapsing during a walk in Russia’s notorious “Polar Wolf” penal colony last week, according to prison officials.
- Novichok was developed in the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 1980s and is believed to be about five to 10 times more lethal than other poison gases like sarin or VX.
- Exposure to Novichok causes a “slowing of the heart and restriction of the airways, leading to death by asphyxiation,” Professor Gary Stephens, a pharmacology expert at the University of Reading, explained to Reuters.
- A paramedic reportedly spotted bruises on Navalny’s head and chest when his body was brought to the morgue, according to a report.
- The Putin critic previously survived being poisoned with Novichok in 2020 when the nerve agent was applied to his underwear while he was traveling.
Avdiivka’s capture would be a political victory for Putin, the Institute for the Study of War said, noting Putin would likely “sell the potential capture of Avdiivka as a significant victory.”
As the military landscape shifted in Ukraine, Navalny’s family have demanded the government give them his remains “immediately,” with his spokeswoman noting his body was not in the morgue in Salekhard, the town closest to IK-3.
His mother was seen leaving the penal colony Saturday.
“An employee of the colony said that the body of Navalny is now in Salekhard. It was picked up by investigators from the [investigative committee]. Now they are conducting ‘investigations’ with him. We demand that Alexey Navalny’s body be handed over to his family immediately,” Yarmysh wrote.
“Alexey’s lawyer and his mother have arrived at the Salekhard morgue,” Yarmysh wrote in another post. “It’s closed, however, the colony has assured them it’s working and Navalny’s body is there. The lawyer called the phone number which was on the door. He was told he was the seventh caller today. Alexey’s body is not in the morgue.”
Yarmysh showed her frustration, noting Russian authorities had told one of Navalny’s lawyers that his cause of death had not yet been established and a new histological examination has been carried out, the results of which would supposedly be available next week.
“It’s obvious that the killers want to cover their tracks and are therefore not handing over Alexei’s body, hiding it even from his mother,” Navalny’s team said in a post on Telegram.
Russians in cities and towns across the country have been leaving floral tributes for Navalny, a married father of two who survived an August 2020 poisoning largely considered to be an assassination attempt.
He rose to prominence by poking fun at the elites surrounding Putin and exposing corruption in the country.
Navalny had been locked up since returning home following the poisoning, which was widely assumed to have been an assassination attempt.
Videos shared online and by journalists in the region after Navalny’s death showed authorities forcibly removing people from areas where tributes were being given, with up to 340 people detained, according to Sky News.
Vice President Harris mentioned Navlany Saturday at the Munich Security Conference during an appearance with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him “a brave leader who stood up against corruption, and autocracy.
“I met with his wife, Yulia, yesterday and express[ed] my outrage and sorrow in this fight,” Harris said, adding, “He stood up for the truth. The reports of his death are further proof of Putin’s brutality.”
Additional reporting by Matthew Sedacca
With Post wires
