"Navalny's Near-Release in Prisoner Swap Plot"

A close ally of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny claimed that talks about exchanging Navalny and two unnamed U.S. nationals for a Russian FSB hit man in jail in Germany were in their final stages at the time of his death, alleging that Putin had him killed. The ally also alleged that businessman Roman Abramovich had been involved in some of the talks as a mediator with Putin. The Kremlin has denied Russian state involvement in Navalny's death, and Navalny's death certificate stated that he died of natural causes, according to his supporters.