The US reaction to the death in prison of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny is an attempt to meddle in the country’s internal affairs, Anatoly Antonov, Moscow’s ambassador to Washington, has said. He also rebuked the US for not trying to get to the bottom of the issue before making accusations.
Russian prison officials said that the 47-year-old Navalny died in a penal colony north of the Arctic Circle on Friday, saying that he collapsed after a walk, and resuscitation efforts failed to revive him. The exact cause of death remains unclear, although a source for RT Russian suggested that it was a blood clot. The Kremlin said that medical professionals were looking into the matter.
Numerous Western leaders were quick to suggest that Russia bears responsibility for the death. Navalny was often described as an ‘opposition leader’ for his participation in anti-government protests.
US President Joe Biden acknowledged that while “we don’t know exactly what happened… there is no doubt that the death of Navalny was a consequence of something that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and his thugs did.” US Vice President Kamala Harris also claimed that “Russia is responsible” for the activist’s passing.