Alexei Navalny, Russian Opposition Leader, Reportedly Dies at 47 in Arctic Prison: 'Proof of Putin's Brutality'

Navalny is one of several critics of Vladimir Putin who have suspiciously died in recent years. In 2022, he told his supporters that if he's ever killed, "You're not allowed to give up"

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny reportedly died at the age of 47 on Friday after taking a walk around an Arctic penal colony, according to a Russian prison service — though many are skeptical about the circumstances of his sudden death, including the U.S. government.

Navalny, a longtime critic and political opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges that many viewed as politically motivated.

In a self-titled 2022 documentary, he left a message for his supporters should he ever be murdered: "You're not allowed to give up. If they decide to kill me, it means that we are incredibly strong."

Related: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Who Led a Failed Coup Against Putin in June, Has Reportedly Died in a Plane Crash

In a statement translated from Russian by Reuters, the prison service said that Navalny "felt unwell" after a walk on Friday, "almost immediately losing consciousness." Medical staff and an ambulance were immediately called, per the prison service's statement.

"All necessary resuscitation measures were carried out, which did not yield positive results. Doctors of the ambulance stated the death of the convict," the statement read. The prison concluded by saying that it was currently trying to establish a cause of death.

According to BBC News, Navalny was seen at a court hearing on Thursday via a video link, "looking well and laughing."

In a live-streamed speech at the White House on Friday afternoon, President Joe Biden called the reports of Navalny's death "more proof of Putin's brutality," saying, "Make no mistake, Putin is responsible."

Related: Putin Now Says He Prefers Biden over Trump. The White House Tells Him to Stop Stirring the Pot

Navalny's mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, responded to the news saying, "I don't want to hear any condolences. We saw him in prison on the 12th, in a meeting. He was alive, healthy and happy," per BBC.

Navalny's wife, Yulia Navalnaya, also delivered remarks at the Munich Security Conference after reports of his death circulated.

“If it’s true, I want Putin, his entourage, Putin’s friends and his government to know they will pay for what they have done to our country, to our family, and my husband," she said, per The Hill. "And that day will come very soon.”

Navalnaya said she was unsure whether to trust news of her husband's death because Putin and his government officials "always lie."

Related: Vladimir Putin Makes Veiled Nuclear Threat as He Announces Military Mobilization

Navalny's team discovered that he was transferred to Yamalo-Nenets region prison service in December 2023, per The Hill. Located in Siberia, it's known to be among Russia's most remote prisons.

Navalny, a former attorney, came into the public eye around 2010, earning a reputation as one of Putin's loudest critics in Russia. In 2013, he ran to be the mayor of Moscow and secured almost a third of votes, a high number for someone opposing Putin and his regime.

Related: Skeptics Question Whether Putin Critic's Death Was a Suicide in New Report: 'Extremely Suspicious'

In 2020, Navalny received medical treatment in Germany for "nerve agent poisoning" that he blamed on the Russian government, per ABC News. He voluntarily returned to Russia and had been imprisoned on extremism charges since January 2021.

His death comes just a month before Russia's presidential election, which is likely to secure Putin another six years in office.

Related: State Department Reveals Russia Has Spent $300 Million to Influence World Politics Since 2014

In addition to his wife and mother, Navalny is survived by two children, Daria and Zahar, and his brother, Oleg Navalny.

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In his final Instagram post on Wednesday, Navalny wrote a loving note to Navalnaya.

"Baby, everything is like in a song with you: between us there are cities, the take-off lights of airfields, blue snowstorms and thousands of kilometers," he captioned a picture of them, translated from Russian by Google. "But I feel that you are near every second, and I love you more and more ❤️."

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