The United States is preparing to announce new sanctions on Russia in response to the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in prison. The announcement is scheduled for Friday, according to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, who stated that the sanctions aim to "hold Russia accountable" for the death of Navalny, whom his team claims was murdered.
This move comes in the wake of European governments summoning Russian diplomats and the European Union calling in Russia's charge d'affaires over Navalny's death. Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland are among the countries that have taken this diplomatic action. The US and its allies had previously imposed sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny's widow, had her social media account on the platform X (formerly Twitter) suspended for 50 minutes on Tuesday after making remarks against the Kremlin. The company later reinstated the account without providing an explanation. Yulia Navalnaya, in a video posted on Monday, accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of killing Navalny and vowed to continue her husband's fight against the Kremlin. She also met with European Union foreign ministers and urged the bloc not to recognize Russia's upcoming presidential election, citing doubts about its legitimacy given Putin's alleged involvement in Navalny's death.
As tensions rise internationally over Navalny's demise, the sanctions and diplomatic actions by the US and its allies signal a coordinated effort to hold Russia accountable for the incident. The circumstances surrounding Navalny's death have garnered widespread condemnation and calls for justice from the international community.