The White House has announced that the United States will unveil a new set of sanctions against Russia on Friday in response to the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in prison. The sanctions coincide with the second anniversary of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby informed reporters on Tuesday that the decision to impose sanctions came at the direction of President Biden. Kirby stated, “At President Biden’s direction, we will be announcing a major sanctions package on Friday of this week to hold Russia accountable for what happened to Mr. Navalny.”
He clarified that the sanctions would also address Russia’s actions throughout the ongoing conflict, which has persisted for two years. Navalny, a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin, died in a remote prison in the Arctic, where he was serving a 19-year sentence following a previous poisoning incident in 2020.
Kirby emphasized the accountability of the Russian government, stating, “Whatever story the Russian government decides to tell the world, it’s clear President Putin and his government are responsible.” He highlighted the necessity of a credible investigation into Navalny’s death, asserting, “Absent some credible investigation into his death, it’s hard to get to a point where we can just take the Russians’ word for it.”
The US is demanding complete transparency from the Russian government regarding the circumstances surrounding Navalny’s demise.