Chronicle of an Announced Death
The Putin Regime and the Murder of Aleksei Naval'nyi
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
His political instincts, rhetorical brilliance, and ability to mobilize protest even under conditions of authoritarian rule made Aleksei Naval'nyi Putin's most prominent adversary. Early on, he drew the attention of those organs tasked by the Kremlin with combating and eliminating opponents of the regime. In August 2020, a commando from the FSB secret service attempted to assassinate Naval'nyi with the nerve agent Novichok. The attempt failed. On 16 February 2023, Naval'nyi died in the penal colony “Polar Wolf”. Analysis of the institutions, the competencies of the people involved, decision-making processes, and a reconstruction of events surrounding Naval'nyi’s death produce a chain of evidence that only allows one conclusion: Aleksei Naval'nyi was murdered by the FSB on the orders of Vladimir Putin.
(Osteuropa 4/2024, pp. 87–108)