Yulia Navalnaya addressed the Munich security conference, expressing disbelief over the reports and vowing accountability for those responsible

Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, has broken her silence following reports of her husband’s death in prison. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, she stated that she did not know whether to believe the “terrible” news, as it had only come from Russian state sources. She criticized President Vladimir Putin and his government, stating that they are “always lying.”

Yulia continued, saying that if the reports are true, Putin and his government will be accountable for what they have done to Russia, her family, and her husband. She emphasized that they would be liable for their actions, and that day will come very soon.

The 47-year-old Navalny was serving a 19-year prison sentence on extremism charges in a remote penal colony above the Arctic Circle at the time of his reported death. He has been behind bars since returning from Germany in January 2021, where he was recovering from a poisoning attack that he and Western governments blamed on the Kremlin. Navalny’s death has sparked outrage and sympathy from around the world, with many condemning Putin’s regime for its crackdown on dissent.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Navalny’s death shows that Putin fears nothing more than dissent from his own people. She called it “a grim reminder of what Putin and his regime are all about,” and urged unity in the fight against autocracy. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Russia has questions to answer if the reports are true.