EGN NEWS DESK
The Biden administration is getting ready “main sanctions” towards Moscow in response to the demise of the Russian opposition chief Aleksei A. Navalny, a White House official mentioned on Tuesday.
John F. Kirby, a National Security Council spokesman, mentioned the sanctions could be introduced on Friday. President Biden has mentioned there may be “little question” that Vladimir V. Putin’s authorities was behind the demise of Mr. Navalny.
“Whatever story the Russian authorities decides to inform the world, it’s clear that President Putin and his authorities are answerable for Mr. Navalny’s demise,” Mr. Kirby advised reporters on Tuesday.
Mr. Kirby declined to element what could be included within the sanctions bundle, however mentioned it will be devised to “maintain Russia accountable for what occurred to Mr. Navalny and, fairly frankly, for all its actions over the course of this vicious and brutal struggle that has now raged on for 2 years.”
Russian officers have mentioned Mr. Navalny, 47, misplaced consciousness and died after taking a stroll on Friday within the Arctic jail the place he was moved final 12 months. Russia has introduced an investigation into Mr. Navalny’s demise, however Mr. Kirby mentioned on Tuesday that “whatever the of the particular scientific reply, Mr. Putin is answerable for it.”
“Absent some credible investigation into his demise, it’s arduous to get to a degree the place we are able to simply take the Russians’ phrase for it,” he mentioned.
Mr. Navalny’s demise got here as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine neared the tip of its second 12 months, and billions of {dollars} in U.S. support remained caught in Congress. Mr. Navalny, who was one in all Mr. Putin’s fiercest critics, was additionally a forceful voice in condemning the invasion.
“One of essentially the most highly effective issues that we are able to do proper now to face as much as Vladimir Putin, in fact, is to once more cross the bipartisan nationwide safety supplemental invoice and assist Ukraine as they proceed to battle bravely in protection of their nation,” Mr. Kirby mentioned.
