Alexei Navalny was 'intended to be part of a Cold War-style prisoner swap' before his death in prison, sources claim

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ALEXEI Navalny He was scheduled to be released to the West in a Cold War-style prisoner swap before dying behind bars, sources claim.

Secret discussions are said to be taking place about the release Vladimir Putin's most formidable opponent in exchange for an imprisoned Russian assassin Germany.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died Friday afternoon while in prisonCredit: Reuters

Navalny appears via video link from the IK-2 corrective penal colony in Pokrov during an appeal against his prison sentence in May 2022Credit: Reuters

Supporters pay their last respects to Navalny with a poster reading: 'Alexei Navalny murdered by the fascist regime'Credit: AP

The terms of the alleged swap deal had not previously been agreed upon Navalny47, died in Polar Wolf Prison Telegram channel Bild reported this on Friday.

Today it was revealed that the body was Navalny's discovered under the bruises and is guarded by police in a hospital morgue.

Paramedics who saw the body of the Russian lawyer said the marks could indicate that he was “murdered” under Putin's regime.

An official autopsy has yet to be conducted.

According to Bild's sources RussiaGermany and the US discussed trading Navalny for FSB assassin Vadim Krasikov, 59.

Bild columnist Philip Pyatov wrote: “According to BILD information, such negotiations have actually taken place.

“Moscow, Washington and Berlin took part. Vladimir Putin wanted the Russian agent Vadim Krasikov, who in jail in Germany.

“It was discussed that Putin would release Navalny in return. Alexei Navalny was about to be released.”

The report has not been independently verified.

If true, some say it raises the possibility that members of Russia's hierarchy disagreed with the swap and had Navalny killed.

Jerome Starkey discusses the 'shocking' death of Alexei Navalny and what it means for Russia's political future

Others have expressed doubts whether Putin would agree to the release of Navalny, who could have undermined the Kremlin from abroad.

Killer Krasikov, who Bild's sources claimed was released in exchange for Navalny, was convicted in December 2021 of the 2019 murder of Georgian Chechen man Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in Berlin.

Reports indicate that Krasikov is being prepared for deportation.

There is now mounting speculation that he could be exchanged as part of a complex Cold War-style swap involving a captured American citizen and a Wall Street Journal reporter. Evan Gershkovich33, who was arrested last year on espionage charges.

Russia said yesterday Navalny died of “sudden death syndrome”according to his family and lawyer.

A document given to Navalny's mother Lyudmila Navalnaya indicated that he died on Friday, February 16 at 2:17 pm local time.

Navalny's heartbroken wife Yulia Navalnaya today shared a message in honor of her late husband, her first since his death.

She wrote on Instagram: “I love you.”

The caption was accompanied by a touching image of the couple standing side by side, Yulia looking ahead as Navalny looked at his wife and kissed her head.