Moscow: Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, 47, has died after collapsing and losing consciousness in a remote penal colony north of the Arctic Circle, the federal prison service said today.

Seen as President Vladimir Putin’s most vocal critic, Navalny was serving a 19-year jail term on charges widely considered politically motivated. He was transferred to one of Russia’s harshest penal colonies late last year.

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News of his death sparked immediate international reactions. European leaders condemned the incident, with EU Council President Charles Michel calling it a “tragic death” and holding Russia “solely responsible.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy went further, alleging that Navalny was “obviously killed by Putin.”

Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed Putin was informed of the death and stated that “medics must somehow figure this out.” Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian foreign ministry, dismissed Western accusations as “self-revealing” and lacking evidence.

His lawyer is heading to the penal colony, while his close aide Leonid Volkov called the authorities’ statement “a confession that they killed him.” Navalny’s mother, refusing condolences, said she saw him healthy and alive just days ago.

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Russian state media reported a blood clot, but this was disputed by a doctor who previously treated Navalny. An independent investigation is demanded by many, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who called the incident a stark example of “the weakness and rot at the heart of the system that Putin has built.”

Navalny’s death leaves a void in Russian opposition. He was a prominent figure advocating for democracy and freedom, and his passing is likely to further strain relations between Russia and the West.