To feel very sad that the recent Russian prisoner exchange was meant to have included Alexei Navalny?

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I was so pleased when I heard yesterday that several political prisoners in Russia had been released.

They included - for example - Evan Gershkovich, Vladimir Kara-Murza, Alsu Kurmasheva, Ilya Yashin and Paul Whelan.

I’m particularly happy that Gershkovich, Kara-Murza and Yashin have been released, although of course none of them should have been jailed (that goes without saying). And Yashin himself said he didn’t actually want to be released because he knew he was just being used as a pawn by Putin. And, of course, there are many, many political prisoners still in prison in Russia and others who have been jailed on false charges.

My main point though is that this prisoner exchange was apparently intended to have included Alexei Navalny, as it apparently was meant to have happened months ago.

Of course, Navalny is dead, having (probably) been murdered whilst he was in prison. I feel so sad that he was killed and wasn’t able to be included in this exchange. I think it’s fair and true to say that had he been released and then stayed outside Russia, it would have been very difficult for him be a powerful political influence from abroad - and that is of course one of the reasons why he returned to Russia after his poisoning and was then imprisoned. Yet I still feel sad for what could have been. I’m guessing his family and friends would have had more detailed information about this exchange much sooner than the general public, but they still need to come to terms with that and I really feel for them.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but all of the exchanged prisoners were either dual citizens or foreigners. As Navalny was neither, I don't think he'd have been included.

I could be wrong, though.

He was supposed to be included (so they said on channel 4 news earlier). Yes I feel really sad about it too. I suspect the order was given to murder him so that he wouldn't be part of the swap.

Almost all of them were, but according to the BBC article I’ve linked to though, seven of them had Russian nationality only, like Navalny. And, on a side-note, it looks like many of them were connected to pro-Navalny organisations.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/02/russian-prisoner-swap-deal-was-to-have-included-alexei-navalny

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjjwexqj11xo

That’s probably why he died then. Putin just could not let him go, and could not risk the process to get his criminals back.

Yes. That was my first thought. Was reported right after Navalny's murder, too.

I think so too, he was too high profile.

Makes you wonder if Navalny knew that?

I think he definitely knew he was high profile, but I think he also thought his fame would protect him. I’m not sure if you’ve watched the documentary about him (it’s called ‘Navalny’), but in that, he mentions that, before his poisoning, he thought his fame would have protected him from threats to his life like that, and then he says he was naive to think that. He may have changed his perspective on that after his poisoning though. If you haven’t seen the documentary yet, I really recommend it. It does give me hope that so many of his friends and supporters have been freed in this prisoner swap though.

No, what I meant was I am wondering did he know there were exchange negotiations happening and that his life is the price of it?

Oh I see, sorry for misunderstanding. Perhaps he did. I’d find it very sad if he knew. I imagine that would have been very, very difficult to deal with, if he did know. Although, having said that, everything I’ve read or watched about him mentions that he was very tough and mentally strong, so that may have helped him manage that situation (if he did know).