Alexei Navalny, Russian President Vladimir Putin's arch enemy and a man who campaigned against official corruption and organized massive anti-Kremlin protests, died in prison on Friday, Russia's prison agency said. He was 47 years old.
The Federal Prison Service said in a statement that Navalny felt unwell after walking on Friday and lost consciousness.
She added that an ambulance arrived to try to rehabilitate him, but he died.
There was no immediate confirmation of Navalny's death from his team of supporters and lawyers.
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Navalny, Russia's best-known opposition leader of all, rose to prominence more than a decade ago by mocking the elite around Putin and making widespread allegations of corruption.
Navalny, who was serving a 19-year prison sentence on extremism charges, was transferred in December from his former prison in central Russia's Vladimir region to a “special regime” penal colony – the highest prison security level in Russia – above the permissible level. Arctic Circle.
His allies denounced Navalny's transfer to a colony in the town of Kharp, in the Yamalo-Nenets region about 1,900 kilometers northeast of Moscow, in another attempt to force Navalny into silence.
The remote region is known for its long, harsh winters. Kharp is located about 100 kilometers from Vorkuta, whose coal mines were part of the Soviet concentration camp system.