Ukraine’s top spy chief says Alexei Navalny ‘died from a blood clot’ amid claims that jailed Putin critic was murdered by Russian spies

Ukraine’s top spy chief has claimed that Alexi Navalny may have “died of a blood clot”, amid widespread speculation that the outspoken Putin critic was murdered by Russian spies.

The anti-corruption activist, who served a 19-year prison sentence in the Polar Wolf penal colony, was found dead earlier this month, with Russia claiming he died of ‘sudden death syndrome’ while out for a walk.

Yet many have speculated that he was killed on Putin’s orders, with Latvian President Edgar Rinkeish bluntly stating: “Whatever you think of Alexi Navalny, as a politician he was simply brutally murdered by the Kremlin.”

Today, however, KYrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service GUR, suggested his death could have been due to natural causes.

He told reporters: “I It may disappoint you, but what we know is that he actually died of a blood clot. And this is more or less confirmed. Tit was not taken from the internet, but unfortunately a natural (cause of death).”

Ukraine’s top spy chief Kyrylo Budanov has claimed Navalny may have ‘died of a blood clot’

Vladimir Putin has not publicly commented on the death, but the Kremlin called the West’s response “hysterical.”

Prison authorities refused to release Nalvany’s body more than a week after his death. Yesterday, his body was finally returned to his mother after a nine-day wait.

“Alexey’s body was handed over to his mother. Many thanks to everyone who demanded this with us,” Kira Yarmysh wrote on X.

She said mother Lyudmila Ivanovna, 69, was still in Salekhard, near the horrific IK-3 Arctic penal colony where her son had been held since December on “allegations of extremism”, and that the funeral was still “pending” .

“We don’t know if the authorities will intervene to carry it out as the family wants and as Alexey deserves,” she added.

After Navalny’s death, his grieving widow Yulia Navalnaya accused Putin of “torturing him to death.”

Prior to the release of his body, she said: ‘Give us my husband’s body. YYou tortured him alive, and now you continue to torture him to death. You mock the remains of the dead.

“No true Christian could ever do what Putin is doing to Alexei’s body.”

Initially, his mother was not allowed to see her son’s remains, and reports said he was left battered and bruised. She said Russian officials tried to blackmail her and threatened to do “something” with the body.

Navalny, right, hugs his wife Yulia as he was released by a court in Kirov, Russia, on July 19, 2013, after being released after being convicted of embezzlement

Alexei Navalny’s mother Lyudmila Navalnaya and lawyer Vasily Dubkov arrive in the city of Salekhard on February 17 before being told they could not see the body

Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny and his wife Yulia Navalnaya in September 2020

After the release of his body, his widow called Putin “Satan” for holding her husband’s body “hostage.”

The grieving widow said, “WWhat Putin is doing now is hatred. No, it’s not even hate, it’s Satanism.’

‘What are you going to do with his body? How low will you stoop to mock the man you killed?” she continued.

The Kremlin has denied allegations of involvement in Navalny’s death, calling the West’s response “hysterical.” Putin, who has never spoken Navalny’s name in public, has made no comment on the death of his most outspoken critic.