Navalny aides say the Russian opposition leader was close to being freed before his death

Associates of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny say talks had been underway to exchange him for a Russian imprisoned in Germany. Navalny ally Maria Pevchikh said those talks were in their “final stages” on Feb. 15, the day before Navalny was reported dead. Her claims, reiterated by other Navalny aides, could not be confirmed and she did not offer evidence to back them up. She said Navalny and two U.S. citizens held in Russia were supposed to be swapped for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian serving a life sentence in Germany for the 2019 killing of a 40-year-old Georgian citizen of Chechen descent. President Vladimir Putin has hinted at wanting Krasikov exchanged.

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