Alexei Navalny’s mother has been given a three-hour ultimatum to consent to a “secret” burial for her son, according to the deceased Putin critic’s spokeswoman. If she refuses, Navalny will be interred at the Arctic Circle penal colony where he passed away a week ago. Navalny’s mother claims she was coerced into signing a death certificate stating her son died of natural causes, while his widow, Yulia, insists he was assassinated on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s orders. The Kremlin has denied these accusations and labeled Western responses to Navalny’s death as “hysterical”.
Navalny’s team has offered a €20,000 ($22,000; £17,000) reward and aid in fleeing Russia to any security officers who can provide information about his death in prison. Navalny’s mother, Lyudmila, has declined to negotiate with authorities over her son’s burial, stating they do not have the authority to dictate the terms of his interment. She is demanding adherence to the law, which mandates that the body be returned within two days of determining the cause of death.
US President Joe Biden met with Navalny’s widow and daughter in San Francisco, expressing his admiration for Navalny’s bravery and legacy of fighting corruption and advocating for a free and democratic Russia. The US has subsequently imposed over 500 new sanctions against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine and Navalny’s death. These sanctions target Russia’s primary card payment system, financial and military institutions, and officials involved in Navalny’s imprisonment.
The EU has also announced new sanctions restricting access to military technology. Navalny was a prominent critic of Putin and was poisoned with the Novichok nerve agent by suspected Russian secret service agents in August 2020. After recovering in Germany, he returned to Russia in January 2021 and was imprisoned. Attempts to commemorate his death have been met with a strong response from Russian authorities, resulting in the removal of makeshift memorials and the arrest of hundreds.
