Zelensky: Navalny likely killed by Putin, like thousands of other tortured people

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that opposition Russian politician Alexei Navalny was likely killed by Putin, like thousands of other tortured people.

Zelensky said this during a joint briefing with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Friday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"It's just emerged that Alexei Navalny died in a Russian prison. He was likely killed by Putin, like thousands of others who were tortured because of this one creature. Putin doesn't care who dies, as long as he keeps his positions. And that's why he doesn't have to keep anything," he said.

Zelensky said that Putin must lose everything and answer for what he has done.

Scholz, in turn, said that Germany had been stunned by the news of Navalny's death.

"This is shocking and depressing news," Scholz said.

He noted that he had met with Navalny in person when he was undergoing treatment in Berlin after the poisoning. Navalny's desire to return to Russia obviously cost him his life, the politician added.

According to the chancellor, it has now finally become clear what kind of regime is ruling in Russia: everyone who expresses any criticism or stands on democratic positions is forced to fear for their lives.

"This is terrible, as a sign of how Russia has changed... It has not been a democracy for a long time," Scholz said, adding that yseveral ears ago in Russia, in his opinion, it was still possible to see a positive development in the direction of democracy.

On February 16, Russia's Federal Penitentiary Service announced that opposition Russian politician Alexei Navalny had died in a penal colony in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District.

Photo: President's Office