Russian President Vladimir Putin has asserted that the late opposition figure Alexey Navalny, who passed away while in prison, was potentially part of a proposed exchange involving Russian prisoners detained in the West.
During a gathering with supporters, Putin disclosed that high-ranking Russian officials had entertained the notion of a prisoner exchange with Western nations just days before Navalny's demise, as reported by RT.
Navalny, renowned as one of Putin's most outspoken critics, tragically passed away in February while incarcerated at the Polar Wolf colony situated within the Arctic Circle. He had been serving a lengthy 19-year prison sentence for charges widely perceived as politically motivated.
According to the prison service in the Yamalo-Nenets district, Navalny reportedly fell ill and lost consciousness following a walk.
"Despite efforts by an emergency medical team to revive him, they were unfortunately unsuccessful," stated the prison service in an official release.
Following her husband's death, Navalny's wife, Yulia Navalnaya, accused Putin of being responsible for his demise and vowed to carry on his legacy and advocacy.
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