'Strong response': Biden lauded for claiming 'Putin is responsible' for Alexei Navalny's death in jail

WASHINGTON, DC: President Joe Biden has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin following reports of the death of longtime Putin critic Alexei Navalny, 47, reported ABC News.

"Russian authorities are going to tell their own story. Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny's death," Biden asserted during a media address on Friday, February 16.

Russian opposition leader Navalny reportedly fell unconscious and died on February 16, after a walk at the Polar Wolf Arctic penal colony, where he was serving a thirty-year imprisonment over various charges after surviving an assassination attempt in 2020.

He gained prominence for publicly criticizing the Russian President about the vast corruption in Putin's Russia.

Biden calls out Putin's brutality and praises Alexei Navalny's bravery

Biden clarified he lacked precise details about what exactly happened but asserted there was no reason to doubt the reports emerging from Russia.

"What has happened to Navalny is yet more proof of Putin's brutality," the President stated. "No one should be fooled, not in Russia, not at home, not anywhere in the world. Putin does not only target his citizens of other countries, as we've seen in what's going on in Ukraine right now, he also inflicts terrible crimes on his own people."

Navalny's shocking death reports came around a week after former President Donald Trump gave a green light to Putin, pledging he would not defend "delinquent" NATO allies if Russia attacked them.

Biden also praised Navalny for his courage to speak against the Russian President despite the life-threatening consequences, including imprisonment and an assassination attempt by poisoning.

"As people across Russia and around the world are mourning Navalny today, because he was so many things that Putin was not. He was brave. He was principled. He was dedicated to building a Russia where the rule of law existed and where it applied to everybody," the President said.

Media then questioned Biden, referring to his past statement of "devastating" consequences if Navalny were to die while imprisoned.

"That was three years ago," Biden replied and referred to the losses Russia had to face in its Ukraine invasion. "In the meantime, they faced a hell of a lot of consequences. They've lost and/or had wounded over 350,000 Russian soldiers. They've been made into a position where they have been subjected to great sanctions across the board. And we're contemplating what else can be done."

Biden also used the occasion to slam Trump's remarks against NATO allies and urged for greater unity among the allies to stand against Putin. Furthermore, he criticized the House Republicans for holding up a Senate-passed foreign aid bill, which includes a $60 billion aid package to Ukraine.

Internet reacts

Netizens concurred with Biden's remarks against Putin following the death of Navalny, opining it was an obvious fact.

One user wrote, "Strong response by Biden."

Another user remarked, "Thank you, @POTUS. You stand up to fascism both here & abroad."

"President Biden is 100% correct," a third user added. A fourth user added, "Karma will come for putin one day!"

A Facebook user commented, "I would agree with President Biden. The thing is, he didn't even have to state that. I think it's obvious to everyone."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.