The mysterious death of Russian dissident Alexey Navalny in an Arctic prison, is under investigation, news portal Russia Today reported quoting presidential spokesman Dimitri Peskov.
“The investigation is being carried out, all due actions are being taken. But no results of this investigation have been published so far, they are not known yet,” he said on Monday at a daily news briefing, according to a NBC News translation.
Russia’s statement comes after US and European leaders had accused the Kremlin of conspiring to kill Navalny. According to a CNBC news report, President Biden said on Friday, “Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death … What has happened to Navalny is yet more proof of Putin’s brutality.”
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also stepped in, tweeting on X that “On Monday, I will welcome Yulia Navalnaya (Navalny’s wife) at the EU Foreign Affairs Council. EU Ministers will send a strong message of support to freedom fighters in Russia” and “honour” Navalny’s memory.”
Navalnaya who was in Germany at the Munich Security Conference had delivered an emotional address after news of Navalny’s death broke on Friday. According to BBC, she released a video statement on her YouTube channel accusing the Kremlin of killing her husband and hiding his body.
Navalnaya has blamed Putin for her husband’s death. According to the BBC she said she knew “exactly why Putin killed Alexey three days ago” and promised to release the information “soon.”
The Kremlin said it would take two weeks to release the body as a chemical analysis would be required to determine the cause of death.