Russian opposition politician This is how the world reacts to Navalny’s death
Alexei Navalny is said to have died in Russian custody. The news caused consternation around the world. Politicians and activists remember his life’s work – and blame Putin for Navalny’s death.
The leading Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny has died in custody, according to the judiciary. This was announced by the prison administration, as reported by the state agency Tass. The 47-year-old collapsed on Friday after a walk in his Siberian penal colony and immediately lost consciousness. Attempts at resuscitation by paramedics were unsuccessful.
Navalny’s death caused consternation around the world. Politicians and activists remembered the life’s work of the opposition figure and called for an investigation into the death by the Russian judiciary. An overview of the initial reactions:
Vitali Klitschko, Ukrainian politician
“You could see it coming for a long time and I feared it and am not surprised. “I can well imagine that the news about Navalny’s death was timed exactly on this day of the conference,” says Vitali Klitschko, ex-boxer and mayor of Kiev, to WirtschaftsWoche on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor
Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Navalny’s death depressing. It was very brave that Navalny went back to Russia. Now he has “paid for this courage with his life,” says Scholz in Berlin. We now know exactly what kind of regime is in power in Moscow. Russia is “no longer a democracy”.
Robert Habeck, Vice Chancellor
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck reacted with shock to the death of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny. “Alexander Navalny’s death shocks me to the core,” said the Economics and Climate Protection Minister on Friday. “The Putin regime has him on his conscience.†Habeck said Navalny lost his life in his commitment to a better Russia. “He was a patriot who stood up for democracy and the rule of law and loved his country and the people there. More than his own life.†Despite the risk to his life, he returned to Russia, said Habeck. “My thoughts are now with his wife Yulia Navalnaya and everyone who, like Alexander Navalny, is fighting for a free Russia.”
Annalena Baerbock, BundesauÃenministerin
“Like no other, Alexei Navalny was a symbol of a free and democratic Russia,” explains Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) via short message platform X. “That is exactly why he had to die. My thoughts are with his wife and children.“
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Christian Lindner, Federal Minister of Finance
“Alexei Navalny fought for a democratic Russia,” explains Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner via the short message platform X. “Putin tortured him to death for that. This is new, shocking evidence of the criminal character of this regime. Even after his death, Alexei will continue to give hope to everyone who fights for a different Russia.â€
Angela Merkel, former Chancellor
Former Chancellor Angela Merkel blames the death of opposition politician Alexei Navalny on the Russian state. “He was a victim of Russia’s repressive state power. It is terrible that a courageous, fearless voice that stood up for his country was silenced using terrible methods,” said the CDU politician on Friday in Berlin. “My thoughts are with his wife, his children, his friends and his employees.â€
Johannes Vogel, parliamentary business manager
The parliamentary manager of the FDP in the Bundestag, Johannes Vogel, blames Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. “Putin is a murderer,” explains Vogel via the text messaging platform X. “No one can ever be mistaken about Putin’s deadly brutality.”
Boris Nadezhdin, Russian opposition politician
The Russian opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin pays tribute to Alexei Navalny. “Navalny is one of the most talented and courageous people in Russia,” he writes on the short message service Telegram. He prayed that the information about his death would prove to be untrue. Nadezhdin openly criticizes Russia’s war against Ukraine and wanted to run in the presidential election in March. The electoral commission denied him this.
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Volodymyr Zelenskyj, Ukrainian President
It is obvious that Alexei Navalny was killed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj at a press appearance with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin. Putin doesn’t care who dies. Putin only cares about maintaining power.
Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken blames the Russian leadership for the fate of Alexei Navalny. His deaths demonstrate the “weakness and rot” of the system built by President Vladimir Putin, he said in Munich, where the security conference is taking place. “If these reports are accurate, our condolences go out first and foremost to his wife and family,” Blinken added.
Jake Sullivan, security advisor to US President Joe Biden
The US government has described the death of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny as a “terrible tragedy”. US President Joe Biden’s security advisor, Jake Sullivan, emphasized in an interview with radio station NPR on Friday morning (local time) that the US government does not yet have its own confirmation of the death and is therefore approaching I’m holding back on comments. “Given the Russian government’s long and sordid history of harming its opponents, this raises real and obvious questions about what happened here,” Sullivan continued.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the EU Commission
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is “deeply disturbed and saddened” by the death of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny. “A dark reminder of what (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and his regime are all about,” von der Leyen wrote on Friday on the X platform (formerly Twitter). The Kremlin leader fears nothing more than the differences of opinion among his own people. “Let us fight together to protect the freedom and security of those who dare to defend themselves against the autocracy,” said von der Leyen.
Charles Michel, EU-Ratspresident
The European Union blames Russia for the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. “Alexei Navalny fought for the values of freedom and democracy,” wrote EU Council President Charles Michel on X. “He made the ultimate sacrifice for his ideals. The EU holds the Russian regime solely responsible for this tragic death.â€
Rishi Sunak, British Prime Minister
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has described the death of Russian Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny as “terrible news”. “As the fiercest defender of Russian democracy, Alexei Navalny has shown incredible courage throughout his life,” the head of government wrote on the X platform on Friday. “My thoughts are with his wife and the Russian people, for whom this is a huge achievement Tragedy is.”
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Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General
In his own words, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is “deeply affected and disturbed” by the reports of the death of Russian government opponent Alexei Navalny. “We have to clarify all the facts,” says Stoltenberg. Russia must clarify all questions about the circumstances of the death.
Gitanas Nauseda, litauischer Präsident
After the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda is calling for consequences for those responsible. These must be “brought to justice,” he wrote on X.
Radoslaw Sikorski, Polish Foreign Minister
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski: “My heart now goes out to the family of Alexei Navalny, who is a hero and symbol for all Russian democrats,” the state news agency PAP quoted him as saying. He was convicted in a trial of false accusations. “He was sent to prison, where he lived in terrible conditions,†says Sikorski. “Vladimir Putin is responsible for all of this.”
Edgars Rinkevic, Latvian President
According to Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics, the Kremlin has Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on its conscience. “Whatever you think about Alexei Navalny as a politician, he was simply brutally murdered by the Kremlin,†he writes on X (formerly Twitter). “This is a fact and something that should be known about the true nature of the current Russian regime.” His condolences go out to Navalny’s family and friends.
Dmitri Muratov, Nobel Peace Prize winner
Russian Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitri Muratov describes the death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny as a “murder”. The journalist told the Reuters news agency that he was of the opinion that the prison conditions led to Navalny’s death.
Stéphane Sejourne, French Foreign Minister
French Foreign Minister Stéphane Sejourne regrets the death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. “His resistance to a system of oppression cost him his life,†explains Sejourne. “His death in a penal colony reminds us of the reality of Vladimir Putin’s regime.”
Mark Rutte, Dutch Prime Minister
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte blamed Russia for the death of Putin critic Alexei Navalny. “It is indicative of the incredible brutality of the Russian regime,” Rutte said via X on Friday. Navalny fought for democratic values and against corruption of the Russian regime. “He had to pay for his fight with his life while he was held under the most difficult and inhumane conditions.” According to Rutte, the Kremlin critic was also a symbol of humanity, democracy and freedom. Navalny’s death underlines how important it is that Russia loses the war in Ukraine, said the prime minister in The Hague.
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