Kremlin's official spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to Alexei Navalny's widow Yulia, who claimed that Russian leader Vladimir Putin could allegedly be involved in the death of her husband. Such statements are unfounded, Peskov stressed.
"We leave this without comment. Of course, these are absolutely unfounded, boorish accusations [against] the head of the Russian state. Yet, considering that Yulia Navalnaya was widowed literally [several] days earlier, I leave this without comment," Dmitry Peskov told reporters Feb. 20.
The day before, Yulia Navalnaya released a statement in which she announced plans to continue her husband's work. Peskov noted that the head of state did not see her appeal.
A journalist also asked Peskov to comment on Navalnaya's words who said that her husband's body could not be delivered to relatives in an attempt to hide traces of poison in the body of the deceased.
"I'm honestly not familiar with that statement. If she said that, then, again, these are just unfounded accusations and nothing else. They are based on nothing, they have nothing to substantiate them with. In this case, I can not properly assess those words for ethical reasons either," Dmitry Peskov said adding that "the Kremlin is not involved in this matter.”
The United States and Sweden admitted that they could impose new sanctions on Russia in connection with Alexei Navalny's death. The head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell demanded Russia should agree to an international investigation into Navalny's death.
The Kremlin rejected Borrell's calls.
"We do not accept such demands at all, especially from Mr. Borrell,” Peskov explained.
Navalny died in correctional colony No. 3 in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug in the Arctic region. He felt unwell on February 16 after a walk and lost consciousness. Doctors took life saving efforts, but could not resuscitate him. According to unconfirmed reports, Navalny suffered a blood clot detachment.
Alexei Navalny is included in the list of terrorists and extremists; the FBK foundation that he established was included in the register of foreign agents, recognised as an extremist, undesirable organisation and banned in Russia.