LONDON. The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday that U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin likely did not order the killing of opposition figure Alexei Navalny in February at an Arctic prison camp.
Navalny, a prominent critic of Putin, passed away at the age of 47, sparking widespread speculation and accusations against the Russian government. His allies, deemed extremists by Russian authorities, have vehemently accused Putin of orchestrating Navalny’s assassination and vowed to furnish evidence to support their claims.
The Kremlin has consistently denied any involvement in Navalny’s demise. Putin, in a recent statement, expressed condolences over Navalny’s death, describing it as “sad.” He also claimed to have been prepared to facilitate Navalny’s transfer to Western authorities in a prisoner exchange, on the condition that Navalny never returned to Russia. Navalny’s allies assert that discussions regarding such an exchange were indeed underway.
Citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal revealed that while U.S. intelligence agencies believe Putin probably did not directly order Navalny’s killing, they have not absolved him of overall responsibility. This conclusion stems from Navalny’s prolonged targeting by Russian authorities, his imprisonment on what the West deems politically motivated charges, and his poisoning in 2020 with a nerve agent, for which the Kremlin denies involvement.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the Journal’s report as “empty speculation,” denouncing its credibility during a press briefing on Saturday.
The accuracy of the Journal’s report could not be independently verified by Reuters. However, the paper cited sources indicating that the finding had been widely accepted within the U.S. intelligence community, including agencies such as the CIA, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the State Department’s intelligence unit.
The U.S. assessment reportedly relied on a plethora of information, including classified intelligence, and an analysis of public facts such as the timing of Navalny’s death, which coincided with Putin’s re-election campaign in March, overshadowing the political landscape.
As the global community grapples with the aftermath of Navalny’s demise, questions surrounding the circumstances of his death and potential state involvement continue to loom large, casting a shadow over Russia’s domestic and international affairs.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
