In Russia, Alexei Navalny was Putin’s most well-known opponent. He died on Friday at the Arctic jail, where he was serving a 30-year sentence. What do we know and don’t know about the death?

DEATH

Navalny was locked up at the IK-3 prison camp north of the Arctic Circle and in Kharp, Yamalo-Nenets, which is about 1,900 km (1,200 miles) northeast of Moscow.
The Federal Penitentiary Service of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District said he had died at 2:19 p.m. Moscow time (1119 GMT) on February 16.
“On Feb. 16, 2024, in penal colony number 3, convict Navalny A.A. felt unwell after a walk, almost immediately losing consciousness.”The institution’s medical staff arrived immediately, and an ambulance team was called.
“All the resuscitation steps that needed to be taken were taken, but they did not work.” The doctors in the van said that the prisoner had died. Researchers are looking into what caused the deaths.
Both the prison service and hospital officials haven’t said anything else about the death.

THE SUDDEN DEATH SYNDROME

Nara Yarmysh, Navalny’s spokesman, said that his mother, Lyudmila, who is 69 years old, had been told about the death. That notice said the person died at 2:17 p.m. local time (09:17 GMT) on February 16. Yarmysh said.
At the colony this morning, Navalny’s lawyer and mother were told that the reason for his death was sudden death syndrome, Ivan Zhdanov, who runs Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, said on Saturday.
“Sudden death syndrome” is a broad term for many heart conditions that can lead to rapid cardiac arrest and death.
A person who did not want to be named told the state-run RT that Navalny died of a blood clot.
As of Monday, Yarmysh said, Russian investigators still haven’t found out what killed Navalny. Investigation officials told his mother and lawyers this.

THE BODY

No one seems to know where Navalny’s body is.
According to Novaya Gazeta, unknown sources reported that the body had been brought to the morgue at the Salekhard District Clinical Hospital.
According to the newspaper, there were signs that someone had attempted to touch the heart, as well as bruises that appeared to be the result of shock. The newspaper said they didn’t know why his heart stopped.
Some Russian news outlets said that a particular group of detectives from Moscow had arrived. It’s not clear when the autopsy will happen.

Report from Novaya Gazeta

An unnamed prisoner informed the Novaya Gazeta newspaper about a “strange commotion” in the jail on the evening of February 15.
The prisoner said the guards sped up their evening inmate checks and strengthened security.
The barracks were “totally ‘ shakedown'” on the morning of February 16, with guards taking cell phones and other things from prisoners. The prisoner said that soon after, a group from the principal office of the Federal Penitentiary Service showed up.
The prisoner said that Navalny’s death “became known” in the jail around 08:00 Moscow time (0500 GMT), which was several hours before the prison service officially announced it. However, an ambulance didn’t arrive until it was clear that Navalny had died.
There was no way to check the prisoner’s story.