After death of Russian President Vladimir Putin's opponent Alexei Navalny, wife releases video, this is what she said

Following the demise of Alexei Navalny, a prominent opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, his wife, Yulia Navalnaya, expressed her commitment to continuing the struggle against Putin's authority. In a video released on YouTube, Yulia declared her intention to strengthen the pursuit of a free, peaceful, and prosperous Russia, despite the untimely death of her husband.

Yulia, aged 47, asserted in the video that Navalny had been poisoned in an Arctic prison, leading to his sudden demise. She lamented her unexpected presence in the video, emphasizing that someone else should have been there instead. Accusing Vladimir Putin of being responsible for her husband's death, she proclaimed, "Three days ago, Putin killed my husband Alexei Navalny."

Expressing the profound personal loss she suffered, Yulia declared, "Putin killed the father of my children. Putin took away from me what was most precious, the person closest to me, the one I loved the most." She vowed to uncover the truth behind Navalny's death and bring the perpetrators to justice. Yulia pledged to carry forward Alexei Navalny's work, urging others to join her in the fight for their country's future.

She also said she knows "exactly why" Putin killed her husband three days ago, and will release the information soon.

EU calls for an independent international probe into Navalny death

Meanwhile, the EU said it "will spare no efforts to hold Russia's political leadership and authorities to account" over the death of Navalny. It also called for an independent international investigation.

The statement calls for an independent and transparent international investigation into circumstances of his sudden death. “The EU will spare no efforts to hold Russia’s political leadership and authorities to account, in close coordination with our partners; and impose further costs for their actions, including through sanctions."

It also calls for an immediate release of the several hundred people who have been detained while paying tribute to Navalny in Russia.

President Joe Biden said the US is considering imposing further sanctions on Russia over Navalny.

Alexei Navalny passed away in a Russian prison, with the jail administration stating that he "fell unconscious and did not regain consciousness." 

Yulia Navalnaya revealed that the Russian government informed Navalny's mother that his body would not be returned to the family for two weeks, citing ongoing chemical analysis on the body.