Weakness

Navalny’s death a sign of Putin’s weakness, Sullivan says

The “idea that he had to lock this guy up, try to muzzle and silence him, and now he’s trying to suppress and silence anyone who wants to come out and mourn him — that’s a sign of weakness,” US national security adviser said.

By KELLY GARRITY

Alexei Navalny’s death in a Russian prison camp is a sign of President Vladimir Putin’s weakness, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday.

“What I’ve been struck by is the commentary in the United States that the death of Alexei Navalny is some great show of strength by Vladimir Putin when in fact the very idea that he had to lock this guy up, try to muzzle and silence him, and now he’s trying to suppress and silence anyone who wants to come out and mourn him — that’s a sign of weakness, not a sign of strength,” Sullivan said during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Navalny, Putin’s longtime political opponent, died in a penal colony earlier this month. He was 47. While the prison service said he collapsed during a walk, the U.S. says that Putin was responsible.

“Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death. What has happened to Navalny is more proof of Putin’s brutality,” President Joe Biden said shortly after the news broke. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose country has been fighting off Russia’s invasion for two years, said “it’s obvious” that Putin killed him.

Russian authorities handed Navalny’s body over to his mother and wife on Saturday, according to a spokesperson for Navalny.

“Alexei’s body was handed over to his mother,” Kira Yarmysh, Navalny’s spokeswoman, said on X. “Many thanks to all those who demanded this with us.”

“The funeral is still pending,” Yarmysh said. “We do not know if the authorities will interfere to carry it out as the family wants and as Alexei deserves,” she added.

Navalny’s mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, previously said that authorities attempted to make her agree to a private funeral, or else risk having her son buried in the penal colony where he was imprisoned.

When asked whether Russia should allow for a public funeral for the opposition leader, Sullivan said the decision should be up to Navalny’s mother.

“I think the president believes that any mother deserves the funeral for their child that they would like. That should be a basic human thing, not a question of policy,” Sullivan said.