Russian probe into Navalny death extended amid cover-up accusations

An investigation into the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been extended amid accusations of a cover-up.

Kira Yarmysh, a spokesperson for Navalny, said Monday that Russian authorities informed Navalny’s mother and his lawyers the probe into the activist’s death has been extended. Authorities also said the cause of his death was “unknown,” according to Yarmysh’s statement on X, formerly Twitter.

“They don’t say how long it will take,” Yarmysh wrote, referring to a statement from the Investigative Committee about the probe. “The cause of death is still ‘unknown.’”

“They lie, buy time for themselves and do not even hide it,” Yarmysh added.

Yarmysh also said Navalny’s mother and lawyers were denied entry to a morgue where his body was allegedly being held when they arrived early Monday morning.

“Alexey’s mother and his lawyers arrived at the morgue early in the morning. They were not allowed to go in. One of the lawyers was literally pushed out. When the staff was asked if Alexey’s body was there, they did not answer,” Yarmysh wrote.

The developments come amid concerns about foul play in the lead-up to Navalny’s death. The Russian Federal Prison Service said Friday that Navalny died after feeling unwell while on a walk and then losing consciousness. Efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful, according to the prison service.

World leaders were quick to blame Russian President Vladimir Putin for Navalny’s death. Navalny was being held in Russia’s highest security level prison near the Arctic Circle, serving a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism that Navalny and U.S. officials described as politically motivated.  

Navalny had been imprisoned since January 2021, when he returned to Russia after recovering from a poisoning he blamed on Putin. Putin has denied trying to kill Navalny with the nerve agent poison, but, in a documentary called “Navalny,” the opposition leader tricked a Russian agent into describing the assassination attempt on him by posing as a high-ranking Russian official.

On Friday, President Bident blamed Putin for Navalny’s death.

“Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death. Putin is responsible. What has happened to Navalny is yet more proof of Putin’s brutality. No one should be fooled,” Biden said.

The president said the U.S. does not know exactly what happened to Navalny, but his death “was a consequence of something that Putin and his thugs did.”