A close ally of Navalny said that at the time the main spokesman for the Russian opposition was dying in the Arctic Circle, negotiations were underway that were close to an agreement on the his release.

In exchange, Vadim Krashikov, a Russian FSB assassin who is in prison in Germany, would be released.Maria Pevtsich said Monday, echoing the claim by Navalny’s family and supporters that Vladimir Putin was behind his assassination.

Speaking on YouTube, Maria Pevchih said talks to exchange Navalny and two unnamed US nationals for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian FSB assassin in prison in Germany, were in their final stages at the time of his death.

Navalny, 47, died in an Arctic penal colony on February 16. The Kremlin has denied Russian state involvement in his death. Navalny’s death certificate said he died of natural causes, according to his supporters.

“Alexei Navalny could be sitting in that seat right now, just today. This is not a figure of speech, it could and should have happened”said the Pevchih.

“Navalny should have come out in the next few days because the decision to exchange him had been made. In early February, Putin was offered to exchange the killer, FSB officer Vadim Krashikov, who is serving a murder sentence in Berlin, for two American citizens and Alexei Navalny.”

Krasikov was sentenced to life imprisonment in Germany for the killing of an exiled Chechen-Georgian dissident in Berlin’s Tiergarten park in 2019. Putin in his interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson “indicated” that he wanted Krasikov back, according to Navalny’s associate.

Pevchih said she had confirmation that negotiations for the swap were in their final stages on the evening of February 15th.

She claimed that Navalny was murdered a day later because Putin could not bear the thought of him being free.

Pevchikh, who lives outside Russia, did not reveal the sources for her claims or present any evidence.

At the same time, she said that businessman Roman Abramovich participated in some of the talks as a mediator with Putin. There was no immediate comment from Abramovich.

Pevchich did not name the two US citizens who would be freed with Navalny, but the United States said it was working to secure the release of Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, and Paul Whelan, a former US Marine.