
According to U.S. intelligence officials, it has been determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin likely did not order the death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny in February. While officials believe Putin was ultimately responsible for Navalny's death due to the harsh conditions he endured during his confinement, there is no concrete evidence that Putin was aware of the timing of Navalny's death or directly ordered it.
President Joe Biden had previously stated that Putin was ultimately responsible for Navalny's death but did not explicitly accuse him of giving the direct order. Biden emphasized that while the exact circumstances surrounding Navalny's death were unclear, there was no doubt that it was a consequence of actions taken by Putin and his associates.