Reports: US Believes Putin Didn't Directly Order Navalny's Death
The Facts
A report in the Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous officials, says US intelligence agencies believe Russian leader Vladimir Putin likely didn't order the death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny in February.
In a similar report by the Associated Press, an official speaking on the condition of anonymity said the US believes Putin was ultimately responsible for Navalny's death, but there was "no smoking gun" proving Putin's direct involvement in the political organizer's death.
The Spin
Narrative A
These reports are absurd and one has to wonder why the US would want to absolve a brutal leader like Putin from such a heinous crime. Considering the acrimony between Putin and Navalny — not to mention Navalny's high profile — there's little doubt Putin had his prisoner's fate in his hands and decided to end Navalny's life to send a message to the global community.
Narrative B
No one is absolving Putin for Navalny's death, as these reports emphasize that Navalny was placed in harsh conditions that eventually were going to kill him. But unlike the Kremlin's 2020 poisoning of Navalny — which the US determined was indeed an assassination attempt — the intelligence community holds the opinion that Putin didn't order Navalny's prison death. Sanctions and other US rhetoric prove the US isn't letting Putin off the hook.
