The Kremlin has firmly rejected the European Union’s call for an international investigation into the death of Alexei Navalny, a prominent opposition figure who was jailed.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Tuesday that Russia categorically rejects such demands, viewing them as interference in its internal affairs.
According to Russian news agencies, Peskov stated, “We do not accept such demands at all.”
This comes after EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called for an independent international inquiry into Navalny‘s demise.
Despite the EU’s push for an investigation, Mr. Navalny’s spokeswoman expressed scepticism about Russia releasing his body to his wife or mother anytime soon.
The Kremlin further dismissed accusations made by Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, who, in a video message, blamed President Putin for her husband’s death in a prison camp north of the Arctic Circle. Yulia Navalnaya vowed to continue her late husband’s fight against the Russian president’s system.
Kremlin spokesman Peskov, while deeming the accusations as “unfounded and outrageous,” mentioned that neither he nor Putin had watched Yulia Navalnaya’s video, showing restraint due to her recent widowhood.
Simultaneously, Peskov defended the actions of security forces against Russians mourning him, who laid flowers and lit candles across the country in memory of the deceased opposition figure.
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Despite hundreds of people being detained for publicly commemorating his death, Peskov insisted that the security forces acted within the law.
Court has imposed arrests or fines against those publicly expressing grief, a move criticized by Navalny’s team.
Nevertheless, many Russians continue to defy these measures, expressing their sorrow openly.
Credit: dpa/NAN
