Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny Moved to Hospital as Press Aide Warns Prisoner is ‘Close to Death’

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was transferred to a prison hospital as his life is believed to be at risk with multiple signs of declining health.

Multiple outlets report that the administration service for Russia’s prisons released a statement saying Navalny is being moved to the sick ward of a new prison where they reportedly specialize in “dynamic monitoring of similar patients.” The statement also says Navalny is being observed daily by a doctor and has agreed to undergo “vitamin therapy.”

“Presently, the health of A. Navalny is evaluated as satisfactory,” the statement says, according to a translation from New York Times.

For weeks, Navalny has been on a hunger strike after claiming the Russian government denied him of his rights to receive medical attention from a private doctor for his troubled physical condition. His condition is said to have gotten worse since then, and blood tests reportedly show he’s now in danger of heart or kidney failure.

Navalny is internationally recognized as a major opponent of Vladimir Putin, and his well-being has been a recurring topic in discussions about diplomacy with Russia. While President Joe Biden declined to bring up Navalny in his latest conversation with Putin, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has insisted “there will be consequences” if the Russian government lets Navalny die.