In the wake of Alexei Navalny’s death at the IK-3 penal colony in Kharp, the small town of Salekhard in Russia has been abuzz with speculation and concern. Residents are grappling with limited information about the circumstances surrounding the demise of the prominent opposition figure.
Local sources have reported that Navalny’s body was initially transported to Labytnangi but was later redirected to the Salekhard District Clinical Hospital on Mira Street on the evening of February 16. This unexpected change in protocol has fuelled curiosity among the town’s residents.
Reports also indicate that bruises were found on Navalny’s body, attributed to actions other than physical beatings. The ambulance source suggested: “As an ambulance worker with quite a lot of experience, I can say that such injuries, as those who saw them described them, appear from convulsions.”
Navalny’s apparent convulsions and subsequent resuscitation attempts raise questions about the circumstances leading to his cardiac arrest. The lack of an autopsy on February 16 or 17 has hindered authorities from determining the exact cause of death, preventing relatives from viewing the body.
An employee of the Salekhard ambulance station revealed: “They took me to the morgue, brought me in, and then two policemen stood in front of the door. They would also hang up a poster with the inscription ‘Something mysterious is going on here!’ Of course, everyone wanted to know what happened, why there was such secrecy and whether they were trying to hide something serious.”
While it was established that Navalny’s death was “not of a criminal nature” and lacked gunshot wounds, the decision to prohibit local pathologists from conducting autopsies has left many questioning the motives behind such actions.
An ambulance officer shared insights, saying: “Some said that orders came from Moscow to wait for the capital’s specialists, while others argued that the doctors themselves refused to perform an autopsy. This is a political matter, and how it will turn out is unclear.”
Speculation is rife that experts from Moscow arrived in Salekhard, with unusual flights reported on the evening of February 17. Two planes, reportedly carrying individuals associated with the Investigative Committee, landed outside the regular schedule.
The possibility of an autopsy being conducted by these experts has fuelled further uncertainty.
With the potential transportation of biomaterials to Moscow for additional research, it is anticipated that the investigation may take several more days, delaying the release of Navalny’s body to his relatives for at least a week.
