Putin Critic Alexei Navalny Dies In Russian Prison

Alexei Navalny, Russia's most famous opposition leader who gained notoriety for his public criticism of President Vladimir Putin, died at the age of 47 while serving a long jail term, the Russian prison service announced on Friday (February 16) via the New York Post.

Officials said Navalny collapsed and lost consciousness at the IK-3 penal colony in Kharp located north of the Arctic Circle, after having previously "felt unwell" following a walk.

“The medical staff of the institution arrived immediately, and an ambulance team was called,” the prison service said via the New York Post. “All necessary resuscitation measures were carried out, which did not yield positive results. Doctors of the ambulance stated the death of the convict.”

“The causes of death are being established.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peslov said that Putin had been notified of Navalny's death. Navalny, a Russian native, gained admiration from the opposition after voluntarily returning to his home country from Germany, where he had undergone treatment for what was proven to be an attempt to poison him with a nerve agent, in 2021.

Navalny said he was poisoned in Siberia in August 2020, however, the Kremlin denied having attempted to kill him, claiming there was no evidence that he was poisoned with a nerve agent.