The US is preparing 'major sanctions' against Russia over Navalny's death

The Biden administration is preparing “major sanctions” against Moscow in response to the death of Russian opposition leader Aleksei A. Navalny, a White House official said on Tuesday.

John F. Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said the sanctions would be announced Friday. President Biden has said there is “no doubt” that Vladimir V. Putin's government was behind Mr. Navalny's death.

“Whatever story the Russian government decides to tell the world, it is clear that President Putin and his government are responsible for Mr. Navalny's death,” Mr. Kirby told reporters on Tuesday.

Mr. Kirby declined to go into details about what would be included in the sanctions package, but said it would be intended to “hold Russia accountable for what happened to Mr. Navalny and, frankly, for all his actions in the course of this cruel and brutal situation.” war that has been raging for two years now.”

Russian officials have said that Navalny, 47, lost consciousness and died after taking a walk on Friday in the Arctic prison where he was transferred last year. Russia has announced an investigation into Mr. Navalny's death, but Mr. Kirby said on Tuesday that “regardless of the actual scientific answer, Mr. Putin is responsible for it.”

“Without a credible investigation into his death, it is difficult to get to a point where we can simply take the Russians at their word,” he said.

Navalny's death came as Russia's invasion of Ukraine neared the end of its second year, and billions of dollars in U.S. aid remained stuck in Congress. Mr Navalny, one of Mr Putin's fiercest critics, was also a strong voice in condemning the invasion.

“Of course, one of the most powerful things we can do now to stand up to Vladimir Putin is to reauthorize the bipartisan Supplementary National Security Bill and support Ukraine as it continues to fight bravely in defense of its country,” he said. said Kirby.