MOSCOW: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died on Friday (Feb 16) in the Arctic prison colony where he was serving a 19-year-term, Russia's federal penitentiary service said.
Western governments immediately attacked the Kremlin over the death of the most outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin.
Navalny lost consciousness after a walk and could not be revived by medics, the prison service said.
"Navalny felt bad after a walk, almost immediately losing consciousness. Medical staff arrived immediately and an ambulance team was called," it said.
"Resuscitation measures were carried out which did not yield positive results. Paramedics confirmed the death of the convict. The causes of death are being established."
Navalny did not appear to have any health complaints when speaking by video link to a court on Thursday, state media reported.
He did not complain about his health and "spoke actively, presenting arguments in defence of his position", a regional court from the city of Vladimir, to the east of Moscow, told the RIA news agency.
The 47-year-old was Russia's most prominent opposition leader and won a huge following with his criticism of corruption in Vladimir Putin's Russia.
Russia's Investigative Committee said it had opened an investigation into the death.
Navalny's press secretary Kira Yarmysh said his team had not been informed of his death. "Alexei's lawyer is now flying to Kharp," where his prison colony is, she said in a post on social media.
Citing his spokesman, Russian news agencies reported that Putin had been informed of Navalny's death.
Western governments and Russian opposition figures on Friday said the Kremlin was responsible for his death.
France's foreign minister said Navalny had paid with his life for resisting oppression.
Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that it was "obvious" that Navalny was killed by Putin's regime.
"Obviously he was killed by Putin. Like thousands of others who have been tortured," said Zelenskyy, adding that this demonstrates why Putin must be made to "lose everything and held accountable for his actions".
The United States said that the death, if confirmed, would be a "terrible tragedy".
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan added the Kremlin's "long and sordid" history of harming its opponents "raises real and obvious questions about what happened here."
US President Joe Biden made no immediate statement on the reports of Navalny's death.
British foreign minister David Cameron said that Putin should be accountable for the death of Navalny.
"Navalny fought bravely against corruption. Putin’s Russia fabricated charges against him, poisoned him, sent him to an arctic penal colony & now he has tragically died," Cameron wrote on X.
"Putin should be accountable for what has happened - no one should doubt the dreadful nature of his regime."
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2024-02-16 14:07:54Z
CBMiWWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vd29ybGQvcnVzc2lhbi1vcHBvc2l0aW9uLWxlYWRlci1uYXZhbG55LWRlYWQtamFpbC00MTI5MTM20gEA
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