Joe Biden has warned Putin there will be consequences if critic Alexei Navalny is allowed to die in jail as doctors warn his health is failing amid hunger strike. Meanwhile EU leaders said sanctions placed on Russia earlier this year could be increased if Navalny perishes, with a summit to discuss the issue on Monday. Then, on March 31, Navalny revealed in a hand-written letter posted online by his team that he had gone on hunger strike after being denied proper medical care. 'I demand that a doctor be allowed to see me, and until this happens, I am declaring a hunger strike.' Others have suggested that Putin is responding to pressures within Russia itself, including growing political opposition from Navalny and those linked to him.

Source: The Nation April 18, 2021 15:56 UTC