Tucker Carlson turns on Putin after Alexei Navalny’s death in jail: ‘It’s horrifying, barbaric and awful – no decent person would defend it’

Tucker Carlson has turned on Vladimir Putin in the wake of Alexei Navalny’s shocking death, just days after releasing a softball interview with the Russian president and a series of “tourism-style” videos about the country’s clean train stations and cheap groceries country.

In an exclusive statement to DailyMail.com, Carlson said: “It is horrific what happened to Navalny.

‘It’s all barbaric and terrible. No decent person would defend it.”

It remains unclear whether the former Fox News host is still in Moscow.

Russian news sources announced Navalny’s death on Friday morning, citing the Siberian prison where he served a 19-year sentence for “extremism,” sparking shock and anger around the world.

The Russian Prison Service announced the death of Alexei Navalny on Friday morning

In another bizarre video, Carlson praised Russia for its low prices in supermarkets

“On February 16, 2024, in Penal Colony No. 3, convict Navalny AA felt unwell after a walk and almost immediately lost consciousness,” a statement from prison officials said. “The emergency doctors confirmed the death of the convict,” it added.

World leaders, including the Latvian president, have blamed Navalny’s death on Putin.

Last week, the former Fox News host released a bizarre interview with Putin, in which the Russian president controlled the narrative and made a series of claims about his invasion of Ukraine.

Carlson praised Russia throughout, calling Moscow “so much more beautiful than any city in my country.”

‘I had no idea. Aesthetically it is so much cleaner, safer and more beautiful. The architecture, food and services are better than any city in the United States. And this is not ideological,” he said.

When criticized at the World Government Summit for the interview’s limitations, particularly for not mentioning Navalny’s capture, Carlson said: “Every leader kills people, leadership requires killing people.”

In another bizarre video, Carlson praised Russia for its low supermarket prices and fresh produce.

The media roaster drove a grocery cart through a Russian superstore as he marveled at the stock as he continued his Putin PR tour earlier this week.

Navalny was last seen via video link during a court hearing on Thursday

Navalny with his wife Yulia Navalnya, 47, with whom he has two children

In a video uploaded to his social media accounts, Carlson 54 exclaims, “Look at that!” sniffing a loaf of bread while jovial music plays.

Carlson reaches the cash register and sees the $400 price tag for a week’s worth of groceries for him and his team.

The former presenter says the revelation has taken him from ‘amused’ to rightfully angry as his home country apparently charges much more for basic needs like food.

The video was widely ridiculed by people online, as many pointed out the difference between the average wage in Russia – which is the equivalent of $9,072 – or 6.5 times less than the average US salary of $59,428.

Navalny was last seen via video link during a court hearing on Thursday.

Dressed in a black prison uniform, he seemed cheerful and his trademark humor was visible again.

“Your Honor, I will send you my personal account number so that you can use your enormous salary as a federal judge to ‘warm up’ my personal account because I am running out of money,” he said.

Navalny’s mother Lyudmila said she saw her son at the prison colony on Monday. She said at the time: ‘He was alive, healthy, cheerful.’

Navalny’s spokesperson said on social media platform X that she could not confirm his death. Kira Yarmysh said Navalny’s lawyer traveled to the prison where he had served his sentence.

Putin was seen at the Chelyabinsk Forge-and-Press Plant in Chelyabinsk, Russia on Friday

The Kremlin has not yet made an official statement on Navalny’s death

Leonid Volkov, an aide to Navalny, said: “The Federal Prison Service in Yamalo-Nenets District is spreading news about the death of Alexei Navalny in IK-3.

‘We have no confirmation of that yet. Alexey’s lawyer is now flying to Kharp. As soon as we have information, we will report it.’