Widow Navalny: My husband was going to be included in the prisoner exchange

Alexei Navalny's wife, Yulia Navalny, said today that she feels both joy and bitterness over the Cold War-style prisoner swap that freed prominent Russian dissidents last week, nearly six months after he was killed in an Arctic prison colony.< /p>

Yulia Navalnaya said her husband, if alive, was to be part of the deal in which Russia handed over the dissidents, along with American and German nationals, in exchange for convicted Russian murderer Vadim Krashikov and other Russians held in its prisons of the West.

Navalny's supporters said shortly after his death on February 16 that he was very close to being involved in an exchange with Krashikov, a member of Russia's FSB security service who was serving a life sentence in Germany. for the murder of a former Chechen fighter.

"At that time many thought it was impossible, that we had invented it. “But now everything is absolutely clear,” Navalnaya said in a YouTube video. But not for Alexei».

In her video, Navalnaya expresses her joy at the August 1 release of the eight Russian dissidents, but said she also feels sad.

&laquo ?It has been a long time since I felt this much relief and joy. But at the same time I felt a lot of bitterness.

She said that the exchange with the participation of the US and Germany showed that the Russian opposition may have relations with world leaders, who "have not left Russia".

At the same time, she named at least 15 prisoners. who continue to be held on political charges, including Navalny's TV technician Daniel Holodny, three of Navalny's lawyers and other politicians, activists and journalists.

As part of the swap, Vladimir Kara-Murza and Ilya Yashin were also released, meaning the Kremlin's most prominent opponents are now out of the country. Navalny herself also cannot return to Russia, as a court this week upheld a warrant for her arrest for membership of an extremist organization, meaning she will be arrested if she sets foot on Russian soil.

< p> It remains unclear whether the freedmen and other members of the Russian opposition will be able to work together effectively and what they can accomplish.

Navalnaya said it will take enormous effort and sacrifice, but the release of prisoners offers hope.

"Just a week ago they were in prison, locked behind steel doors…Today they are free," he said.

"One day, the same will happen in our country».

Source: APE-MPE