Joe Biden claimed on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and “his thugs” were responsible for the death of Russian opponent Alexeï Navalny, who “scandalized” him.
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“Make no mistake, Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death. Putin is responsible,” said the American president during a speech at the White House. “What happened to Navalny is further proof of his brutality.”
“We don’t know exactly what happened,” Joe Biden added. “But there is no doubt that this is the consequence of something that Putin and his thugs did.”
The US president, who described the Russian opponent as a “powerful voice for the truth, even in prison”, said he was “evaluating options” on a response to this death, without offering further details.
In 2021, after meeting the Russian president in Switzerland, Mr. Biden was asked about the consequences of Navalny’s death and replied: “I made it clear that the consequences would be disastrous for Russia.”
“God bless Alexei Navalny, his courage will not be forgotten,” Joe Biden also said.
Kremlin opponent No. 1, aged 47, died on Friday in his Arctic prison, according to Russian authorities.
Westerners blamed Russia for the death and Navalny’s wife, Yulia Navalnaïa, called on the international community to recognize that the Russian head of state was “personally responsible” for his death.
A presidential election takes place in a month in Russia. It must allow Vladimir Putin to remain in power.
