Archive · 8 Aug 2025
Did the US Miss Opportunity to Save Navalny?
A group of people, including an actress and journalists, tried to get the Russian government to release a famous critic of the government, Alexei Navalny, in exchange for a Russian spy.
The US government was also trying to free American prisoners in Russia.
Negotiations were slow, and there were disagreements about how to make the deal happen.
Some people think the US could have saved Navalny if they acted faster, while others believe the Russian government never intended to let him go.
Unfortunately, Navalny died in prison before a deal could be made.
An effort was launched to negotiate a prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia, involving the release of Alexei Navalny and American prisoners.
The deal involved trading a Russian hitman held in Germany for Navalny and U.S. citizens, but faced bureaucratic hurdles.
Efforts to free Navalny were spearheaded by an actress, a journalist, and the head of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation.
Differing views exist on whether the U.S. missed an opportunity to save Navalny through faster action.
Navalny died in a Russian prison before a deal could be finalized.
- Who
- Alexei Navalny, the U.S. government, the Russian government, Odessa Rae, Christo Grozev, and Stanislav Petlinsky.
- What
- Efforts to negotiate the release of Alexei Navalny and American prisoners in Russia.
- When
- Summer of 2023 - February 16, 2024.
- Where
- Russia, Monaco, United States, Germany.
- Why
- To secure the freedom of Navalny and American prisoners, but faced bureaucratic hurdles and differing perspectives.
View 1: Missed Opportunity
View 2: Inevitable Outcome
Speed of Negotiations
View 1: Missed Opportunity
The U.S. should have acted faster.
View 2: Inevitable Outcome
The Russian government was never going to release him.
- Key Figure
- Alexei Navalny
- Prison Colony
- IK-6 and 'Polar Wolf'
- Potential Trade
- Russian hitman Vadim Krasikov for Navalny and Americans.
- U.S. Negotiator
- Jake Sullivan
- Journalist Jailed
- Evan Gershkovich
- Special Envoy
- Roger Carstens