Navalny was close to being freed in prisoner swap deal, team says

Flowers are seen placed around portraits of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in a Russian Arctic prison, at a makeshift memorial in front of the former Russian consulate in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, on February 23, 2024. © AFP

Associates of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Monday that talks were underway shortly before his death to exchange him for a Russian imprisoned in Germany.

“Alexei Navalny could have been sitting here now, today. It's not a figure of speech,” Maria Pevchikh, who lives outside Russia, said in a video statement. She said she received confirmation the talks were in the “final stages” on February 15, the day before Navalny was reported dead.