Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) advocates for designating Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism following the demise of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny.
Navalny, a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, passed away in a high-security prison near the Arctic Circle in Russia, as announced by the federal prison service on Friday. While the prison service attributed his death to losing consciousness after a walk, widespread speculation, including from President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, suggested Putin’s involvement. A spokesperson for Navalny confirmed his death on Saturday.
“Navalny was one of the bravest people I ever met. When he went back to Russia he had to know he was going to be killed by Putin, and he was murdered by Putin,” remarked Graham during an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.
Graham proposed a measure to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law, suggesting that Russia should face consequences for Navalny’s death. Currently, four countries hold this designation: Cuba, North Korea, Iran, and Syria. Such a designation entails a range of sanctions, including restrictions on foreign assistance and a ban on defense exports and sales.
Graham indicated that legislation to add Russia to the list could be introduced as early as the forthcoming week, emphasizing the need to hold Russia accountable for Navalny’s fate.
Navalny, 47, had faced repeated targeting in recent years, enduring imprisonment and poisoning. The discovery of a nerve agent “in and on” his body in 2020 prompted international condemnation and spurred the Biden administration to impose new sanctions on Russia.
