What are Russians saying about the death of Alexei Navalny? Let's have a look.

Reactions from politicians

Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said Brussels and Washington are to blame for Navalny's death. He added that Navalny's death benefits countries that are pushing for more sanctions against Moscow.

LDPR leader Leonid Slutsky said that the death of one person was a disaster but he was more concerned about the conflict in Ukraine. He vowed that Russia would not allow Navalny's death to be "used in the interests of the West".

State Duma Deputy Sergei Mironov, the leader of A Just Russia — For Truth, said Navalny's death "benefits Russia's enemies. It is necessary to investigate the circumstances of the death and take measures to repel the information attack of the West." He concluded that the West was to blame for the death, which came as Moscow was calling for negotiations with Washington.

Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Commission to Investigate Interference of Foreign States in the Internal Affairs of Russia, Mikhail Delyagin, said that Western countries will likely use Navalny's death as a to introduce new sanctions. He also predicted that the death could be used as a pretext to seize Russian assets that were frozen at the beginning of the SMO.

Vladimir Dzhabarov, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, described Navalny's death as an "accident" and insisted that the Russian government had no motive to harm Navalny while he was in prison.

Reactions from Telegram channels and commentators

Russian Telegram channels were quick to point out that Yulia Navalnaya made a surprise appearance at the Munich Security Conference, where she spoke about her husband's death, announced just hours prior.