Navalny died days before planned release in prisoner swap, says his ally

“Navalny was supposed to be free in the coming days because we had achieved a decision on his exchange,” Pevchikh said in a YouTube video. She said Navalny, who passed away in an Arctic prison on Feb. 16 in mysterious conditions, was to be exchanged for two American citizens and Chechen Vadim Krasikov, a Russian secret agent jailed in Germany for an alleged murder in 2019. In early February, Russian President Vladimir Putin was offered the proposal to swap Navalny and two other American citizens with Krasikov.

“I received confirmation that negotiations were at the final stage on the evening of Feb. 15. But on Feb. 16 Alexei was killed.” She claimed Russian billionaire oligarch Roman Abramovich had acted as a personal liaison between Western officials and Putin in brokering the deal.

Pevchikh pointed out the team Navalny spent two years preparing for the swap and accused American and German officials of showing little political will to make it happen. “Why was Navalny killed now,” she asked, underscoring that they had come a long way, “and by the spring of last year, our plan was approved.” “Putin was clearly told that the only way to get Krasikov is to exchange him for Navalny. ‘Hold on,’ thought Putin. I cannot tolerate Navalny being free.