Alexei Navalny was close to being freed in prisoner swap
Alexei Navalny was close to being freed in a prisoner swap at the time of his death, a close ally said on Monday, repeating an allegation by his family and supporters that President Vladimir Putin had him killed.
Speaking on YouTube, Maria Pevchikh said talks about exchanging Navalny and two unnamed US nationals for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian FSB security service hit man in jail in Germany, were in their final stages at the time of his death.
Navalny, 47, died at an Arctic penal colony on Feb. 16. The Kremlin has denied Russian state involvement in his death. Navalny's death certificate stated that he died of natural causes, according to his supporters.
«Alexei Navalny could be sitting in this seat right now, right today. That's not a figure of speech, it could and should have happened,» said Pevchikh.
«Navalny should have been out in the next few days because we got a decision about his exchange. In early February, Putin was offered to exchange the killer, FSB officer Vadim Krasikov, who's serving time for a murder in Berlin, for two American citizens and Alexei Navalny.»
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