'U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that Russian President Vladimir Putin likely did not explicitly order the assassination of opposition politician Alexei Navalny in February, according to a report published in the Wall Street Journal. This conclusion does not absolve Putin of all responsibility for Navalny's death, as he had been relentlessly targeted by Russian authorities, unjustly imprisoned on politically motivated charges, and subjected to a poisoning attempt with a nerve agent in 2020.
The Kremlin has vehemently denied any state involvement in both the 2020 poisoning and Navalny's subsequent death. However, U.S. intelligence agencies believe that Putin was not directly involved in the fatal incident, citing a combination of classified intelligence and an analysis of publicly available information.
The assessment considers the timing of Navalny's demise, which coincided with Putin's reelection campaign in March, and how it overshadowed the political landscape. Additionally, the intelligence community has noted that Navalny's allies, who have accused Putin of orchestrating his murder, have yet to provide substantial evidence to support their allegations.
Leonid Volkov, a prominent aide to Navalny, has dismissed the U.S. findings as 'naive and ridiculous.' The Kremlin has also denounced the report, reiterating its stance that Navalny's death was a sad event but unrelated to any state involvement.
The U.S. intelligence community's assessment is based on a comprehensive analysis of available information, including classified intelligence and public facts. While it suggests that Putin did not directly order Navalny's assassination, it does not exonerate him from the broader responsibility for the opposition politician's persecution and untimely demise.'
