Ukrainian Military Intelligence Chief, Kyrylo Budanov, Affirms Russia’s Truthfulness

The comments made by Budanov introduce another version and hypothesis to an already complex story. So far, the tale has been shaped by information obtained from various Russian sources, both official and unofficial. The prison authorities initially suggested an embolism and then thrombosis, diagnoses that are consistent with the presence of a blood clot, before they proposed a theory involving sudden death syndrome. Navalny’s wife, on the other hand, pointed to poisoning with Novichok, a deadly nerve agent. Other theories, which have been discussed in the international media, suggest that the dissident was killed with a punch to the heart, a fatal blow after prolonged exposure to the extremely low temperatures of the Siberian prison where he was held.

In the meantime, Navalny’s mother has only recently been able to retrieve his body, which has been held by the Russian authorities for approximately ten days following his death. It remains to be seen whether a traditional funeral service will be allowed to take place.