Putin critic Alexei Navalny dead at 47, Russian officials say

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Russia’s prison agency announced Friday that prominent Vladimir Putin critic and opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died at the age of 47.

The Federal Prison Service said in a statement that Navalny felt unwell after a walk on Friday and lost consciousness, according to The Associated Press. An ambulance arrived to try to rehabilitate him, but he died, the statement added.

Navalny’s spokesperson said in a post on X that “we have no confirmation of this yet.

“Alexei’s lawyer is currently on his way to Kharp. As soon as we have some information, we will report on it,” Kira Yarmysh added.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is seen on a TV screen as he appears by video link in a Moscow courtroom on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Navalny was being held at the IK-3 penal colony, also known as “Polar Wolf,” in Kharp in northern Russia, which is considered one of the country’s toughest prisons.

Navalny has previously organized anti-government demonstrations and has run for office to advocate for reforms against what he claims is corruption in Russia. He was the victim of an alleged assassination attempt in 2020, when he suffered poisoning from a suspected Novichok nerve agent. 

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny looks at photographers standing in the Babuskinsky District Court in Moscow, Russia, in February 2021. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File) (AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

He remained in a coma for several weeks while doctors in Germany fought to keep him alive. He accused Putin of being responsible for his poisoning.

Navalny then returned to Russia in 2021, when authorities immediately arrested him and later sentenced him to 19 years in prison on extremism charges. His team has repeatedly raised concerns about his treatment following his return and Navalny has said the charges were politically motivated.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, with his wife Yulia, right, daughter Daria, and son Zakhar pose for the media after voting during a city council election in Moscow, Russia, on Sept. 8, 2019.  (AP/Andrew Lubimov)

The remote region where Navalny was being held is notorious for long and severe winters. Kharp is about 60 miles from Vorkuta, whose coal mines were part of the Soviet gulag prison-camp system.

Whenever Putin spoke about Navalny, he made it a point to never mention the activist by name, referring to him as “that person” or similar wording, in an apparent effort to diminish his importance, according to The Associated Press.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Fox News’ Michael Dorgan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.