According to a report, Alexei Navalny was about to be freed on a prisoner swap when he died according to his colleague Maria Pevchikh. Reportedly, she said the opposition leader was going to be exchanged for Vadim Krasikov, a russian who is serving a life sentence for murder in Germany. According to the report, two u.s. citizens currently held in Russia were going to be part of the deal. Reportedly, she claimed negotiations were at their final stage on February 15, Alexei Navalny died on February 16 in his cell in the prison colony in Siberia where he was being held on a 19 year sentence on charges that were seen as politically motivated.
According to the report, a spokesperson for the german government said they were aware of a prisoner swap. Reportedly, Ms Pevchikh said negotiations for a prisoner swap had been underway for two years. According to the report, she said Vadim Krasikov a russian who was found guilty of shooting rebel commander Zelimkhan Khangoshvoli in Germany in 2019 was going to be part of the deal.
Reportedly, in February the russian president told u.s. host Tucker Carlson that talks were ongoing concerning the freeing of u.s. journalist Evan Gershkovich who is being held on espionage charges. According to the report, the president hinted that in exchange Russia would accept a person who due to patriotic sentiments eliminated a bandit in one of the European capitals during the events in the caucasus, almost certainly a reference to Vadim Krasikov. Reportedly, Ms Pevchikh claimed the president changed his mind at the last minute, she said he couldn’t tolerate Alexei Navalny being free. According to the report, a russian president spokesperson said allegations into the russian government’s involvment into Alexei Navalny ‘s death were adsurd.