In a surprising statement on Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his agreement with the idea of a prisoner exchange involving the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny and "some people in prison in Western countries." This revelation came during a press conference after Putin's apparent victory in the country's elections.

Putin, who rarely mentions Navalny by name, divulged that a few days before Navalny's death in prison, he was informed about the possibility of exchanging Navalny for individuals imprisoned in Western nations. When the idea was proposed, Putin claimed to have responded positively, saying, "'I agree.' But unfortunately, what happened is what happened."

Navalny's supporters have made allegations that Putin orchestrated his death to foil an imminent prisoner swap that would have secured his freedom along with that of two American citizens. While sources have confirmed negotiations for such an exchange, they clarified that it was not imminent at the time of Navalny's passing on February 16 at the age of 47. The responsibility for his death has been widely attributed to the Kremlin.

During his statement, Putin emphasized that the proposed swap would have been contingent upon Navalny never returning to Russia. However, Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, who is currently in Berlin, was reportedly offered the opportunity to visit her husband in Russia but chose to remain abroad, according to Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov.

The revelation of Putin's agreement to a prisoner swap involving Navalny and Western inmates adds further intrigue to the already controversial circumstances surrounding the opposition leader's death. As investigations into Navalny's demise continue, the international community will undoubtedly closely scrutinize any developments related to this prisoner exchange proposal and its potential implications.

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