The reported death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has sparked swift condemnation from world leaders and opposition figures, who wasted no time in placing blame on President Vladimir Putin and his government.
But despite their outrage, Western leaders have been accused of treating Navalny’s situation as a mere bargaining chip in negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In a note sent to Express.co.uk, Garry Kasparov, Vice President of the World Liberty Congress launched a scathing attack.
He said: “Putin tried and failed to murder Navalny quickly and secretly with poison, and now he has murdered him slowly and publicly in prison. He was killed for exposing Putin and his mafia as the crooks and thieves they are.”
Kasparov’s criticism extended beyond Putin, directing anger towards Western politicians who, in his view, failed to take meaningful action.
He added: “My rage and eternal scorn toward the Western politicians who treated Navalny’s poisoning and jailing as just another negotiating point with Putin, as they did the murder of another friend, Boris Nemtsov. Big talk, no action, more blood on their hands.
“Western politicians prefer opposition fighters to be martyrs. They can leave flowers & say nice words while negotiating with the murderer, unchallenged in their hypocrisy. Navalny was a fighter, & unless they’re going to fight, they should keep his name out of their mouths today.”
Professor Gulnaz Sharafutdinova, Director of King’s Russia Institute at King’s College London, also urged Western governments to use the moment to increase pressure on the Kremlin to release other opposition leaders.
She suggested the news could impact Russia’s upcoming presidential elections, depending on people’s actions on the ground.
She wrote in a note sent to Express.co.uk: “I hope the western governments use the moment to increase the pressure on the Kremlin to release other opposition leaders like Kara-Murza, Yashin and other political prisoners. This news could interfere with the presidential elections in Russia. But that would depend on people’s actions on the ground.”
Navalny, 47, was serving a 19-year prison sentence on extremism charges in a remote penal colony above the Arctic Circle. He had been incarcerated since returning to Russia in January 2021, facing charges he rejected as politically motivated attempts to silence him permanently.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, currently seeking aid for his country’s defence efforts against a potential Russian invasion, was quick to accuse Putin of orchestrating Navalny’s death.
Zelensky, speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, said: “It is obvious that he was killed by Putin. Putin doesn’t care who dies — only for him to hold his position. This is why he must hold onto nothing. Putin must lose everything and be held responsible for his deeds.”
US President Joe Biden expressed uncertainty about the exact circumstances but added: “There is no doubt that the death of Navalny was a consequence of something Putin and his thugs did.”
Biden highlighted Navalny’s choice to return to Russia despite the risks, emphasizing his dedication to his country.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who temporarily hosted Navalny in 2020 after he was poisoned, praised the Kremlin critic’s courage. Standing next to Zelensky, Scholz said: “He has probably now paid for this courage with his life.”
