Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of the late Alexei Navalny, shared her feelings of both joy and bitterness following last week’s high-profile exchange of prominent Russian dissidents, nearly six months after her husband was killed in an Arctic prison.
In a poignant statement, Yulia Navalnaya revealed that her husband, had he been alive, was expected to be part of the exchange in which Russia handed over dissidents along with American and German nationals in return for convicted Russian murderer Vadim Krashikov and other Russians held in Western prisons.
Supporters of Navalny had speculated shortly after his death on February 16 that he was close to being included in a deal involving Krashikov, a member of Russia’s FSB security service, who was serving a life sentence in Germany for the assassination of a former Chechen fighter.
“At the time, many thought it was impossible, that we had made it up. But now everything is absolutely clear,” Navalnaya stated in a YouTube video. “Putin did agree to hand over political prisoners in exchange for spies and assassins, and that happened. But not for Alexei.”
In her video, Navalnaya expressed joy at the August 1 release of eight Russian dissidents, but also conveyed her deep sadness. “It has been a long time since I felt such relief and joy. But at the same time, I felt very bitter,” she admitted.
Navalnaya suggested that the exchange involving the U.S. and Germany indicated that the Russian opposition still maintains connections with world leaders who “have not abandoned Russia.” She also highlighted the ongoing plight of at least 15 prisoners still detained on political charges, including Navalny’s TV technician Daniel Holodny, three of Navalny’s lawyers, as well as other politicians, activists, and journalists.
Source: ANA-MPA
