Putin Says He Agreed to Navalny Prisoner Swap

Facts

Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin said Sunday that he supported a suggestion to free Alexei Navalny in a prisoner exchange days before the opposition leader died in prison last month.¹
Putin's comments, made after he won a record landslide in the presidential election on Sunday, marked the first time he has referenced Navalny by his name in years.²
The Russian president said that he consented to 'an idea to exchange Mr. Navalny for some people who are imprisoned in Western countries,' adding, 'But unfortunately, what happened is what happened.'³
Navalny's family and supporters accuse Putin of ordering the dissident's death. However, the Kremlin has denied having any involvement in the 47-year-old's demise, claiming he died of 'natural causes.'⁴
In February, Navalny adviser Maria Pevchikh had claimed that Putin was offered to swap Vadim Krasikov, an FSB officer imprisoned in Germany for murder, for two US nationals and Navalny.⁵
However, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday that Navalny's name hadn't been mentioned in any Russian prisoner exchange talks.⁶

Anti-Russia narrative, as provided by Associated Press. While Putin may have had unfavorable opinions about Navalny, suggestions that he may have been behind the opposition leader's death are false. These recent comments just go to show that Putin would have had no reason to kill Navalny, as a prisoner swap would have exiled Navalny from Russia while also bringing back a valuable Russian citizen imprisoned abroad.
Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by BBC News. Putin's comments on the death of his largest opponent in the wake of his manufactured presidential 'victory' are extremely ironic. He previously never used Navalny's name, and the fact that he chooses to do so now, after his death, proves that he no longer views Navalny as a threat. There was never going to be a Navalny prisoner exchange — Putin wanted him dead from the start.