President Joe Biden placed blame for the reported death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny squarely on Russian President Vladimir Putin in an address from the White House on Friday, saying “make no mistake—Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death” hours after Russian officials said Navalny died in prison.
US President Joe Biden speaks about the alleged death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in ... [+]
“What has happened to Navalny is yet more proof of Putin’s brutality,” Biden said, adding that Putin “inflicts terrible crimes on his own people.”
The president said he “has no reason to believe” the reports of Navalny’s death are false, though they have yet to be confirmed by U.S. officials.
Biden praised Navalny as “brave . . . principled” and “dedicated to building a Russia where the rule of law existed.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.