U.S. intelligence officials have concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin likely did not order the death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny in February, according to a source familiar with the situation. While officials believe Putin bears ultimate responsibility for Navalny’s death, there is no definitive evidence that he was aware of the timing or directly ordered it. President Joe Biden previously stated that Putin was ultimately responsible for Navalny’s death but stopped short of accusing him of direct involvement. Navalny, a prominent opposition figure in Russia and a vocal critic of Putin, died in custody while serving a prison sentence on politically motivated charges. Russian officials have denied any wrongdoing in Navalny’s poisoning and subsequent death. Putin easily won re-election for a fifth term in March. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the U.S. intelligence findings.
