U.S. calls for Putin critic's release on anniversary of assassination attempt

• Moscow has denied involvement in Navalny's assassination attempt.

What they’re saying: “We again condemn Russia’s use of a chemical weapon to poison a political opponent, and call on the Kremlin to fully declare and dismantle its chemical weapons program,” said State Department spokesman Ned Price, in a statement on Saturday. “We also join Navalny’s family, colleagues, and supporters around the world in calling for his immediate release.”

• The statement concluded: "We reaffirm our solidarity with Aleksey Navalny, Vladimir Kara-Murza, and other political prisoners in Russia, as well as the thousands of other courageous Russian citizens who, despite personal risk, confront the Kremlin’s lies with the truth."

Catch up fast: In March, Navalny was sentenced to nine and half years in prison after a Russian court convicted him of fraud. His appeal of the sentence was later denied.

• The sentence compounded an earlier 2 ½ year sentence he was already serving for violating parole after fleeing to Germany to recover from his assassination attempt.

• He is also facing additional time behind bars on charges that he is leading an “extremist” group – the Anti-Corruption Foundation, which he and two others launched to expose corruption within the Kremlin.
• Earlier this week, Navalny tweeted that he has been placed in solitary confinement in the Russian prison where he's being held.

The big picture: Russia's treatment of Navalny is a part of Moscow’s broader effort to eliminate political dissent and hamstring groups advocating for human rights and democratic reforms.

Go deeper: Live updates: Russian invasion of Ukraine