Kremlin says Western statements on death of Alexey Navalny ‘absolutely unacceptable’

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Kremlin on Monday said the statements made by the West on the death of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny are “absolutely unacceptable.”

“In conditions where there is no information, it is absolutely unacceptable to make such, let’s say, frankly boorish statements,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a press briefing.

Expressing that the investigation into Navalny’s death is ongoing and all necessary actions are being taken, Peskov said the results of the investigation have not been made public thus far.

Peskov further said the statements made are “not befitting of statesmen.”

“These statements, of course, cannot cause any damage to the head of our state (President Vladimir Putin), but they absolutely do not paint those who make such statements,” he added.

Peskov went on to say that he does not have information about when Navalny's body will be given to his family, saying that the Kremlin is not involved in this matter.

On Friday, Russia’s penitentiary service said Navalny died after losing consciousness after a walk in the Arctic Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, the region where the prison colony where he was serving his sentence is located.

Navalny was arrested in January 2021 after a hospital stay in Germany, where he was being treated for poisoning. Western countries and Navalny himself blamed Russia for the poisoning, a claim the Kremlin denies.

In August, he was handed a 19-year prison sentence on charges of extremism, and other crimes. He was already serving an 11.5-year sentence on fraud charges.​​​​​​​

- Russia, Armenia have opposite views on situation in Ukraine

About a statement by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the situation in Ukraine, Peskov said Moscow and Yerevan have opposite views in this regard.

"Indeed, we have diametrically opposed points of view regarding what is happening in Ukraine and regarding the conflict around Ukraine. It's not a secret. Therefore, this is a well-known position of our Armenian friends," Peskov said.

He further said Russia disagrees with Armenia on this matter, adding that Moscow will "persistently continue to explain that we are right."

In a meeting with the Armenian diaspora in Munich on Sunday, Pashinyan said Armenia is "not Russia’s ally" on the topic of Ukraine.​​​​​​​