Report: US Concludes Putin Likely Not Responsible for Navalny’s Death in February | Political News

US intelligence officials have determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin likely did not plan for the death of opposition leader Alexey Navalny in February, despite acknowledging his culpability in the incident. Navalny, a prominent critic of Putin, died while serving a prison sentence at an Arctic camp, sparking international outrage and accusations of foul play.

According to reports from The Wall Street Journal and the Associated Press, US intelligence agencies have concluded that Putin did not order Navalny’s death at the time it occurred. However, they maintain that Putin bears ultimate responsibility for the demise of Navalny, who had previously survived a poisoning attempt with a nerve agent in 2020.

Navalny’s allies have accused Putin of orchestrating his murder, while Russian officials have denied any involvement and claimed that Navalny died of natural causes. The US assessment is said to be based on a combination of classified intelligence and public information, including the timing of Navalny’s death and its impact on Putin’s re-election campaign.

Despite the findings of US intelligence, skepticism remains among some European countries, with concerns that Putin could not have been unaware of Navalny’s death given the tight control he maintains over Russia. Navalny’s aide, Leonid Volkov, dismissed the notion that Putin was not involved, stating that the idea of Putin being uninformed or uninvolved in Navalny’s death is “ridiculous.”

The circumstances surrounding Navalny’s death continue to raise questions and fuel speculation about Putin’s role in the incident, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the Russian government and its critics.