DISINFO: Germany deported Navalny
SUMMARY
The decision of the “fierce” opponent [Alexei Navalny] to return to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin was not on his agenda, and therefore the initiator of this step was the German authorities, who deported and returned Navalny to his country, in order to keep the doors of communication with Russia open.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative associated with opposition figure and Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
The unfounded claim is presented aiming to deflect the authorities' responsibility in the poisoning attempt of Navalny and to discredit Navalny by portraying him as a puppet of the West
Navalny’s decision to return to Russia is related to his refusal to become an exile and to internal deliberations of his political movement, not to any order from abroad.
Alexei Navalny was detained upon his arrival to Moscow. The EU has condemned the detention of Alexei Navalny and called for his immediate release.
See other examples of pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives on Alexei Navalny in our database, such as claims that his anti-corruption foundation has never done any investigation, that he is being helped by Western intelligence services, that only caffeine and alcohol were found in his blood during his poisoning, that the US wanted to use his case to block Russia's vaccines, that the West hopes that he dies to have an excuse for new sanctions, or that neo-liberal forces are behind Navalny, or that the West is sending Navalny back to Russia to prevent him from becoming irrelevant.
The same article mentioned another case claiming that US embassy information about the protests is an additional indict of its relation with Navalny.