US Condemns Putin Critic Alexei Navalny's "Sham Trial"

"The court's sham ruling is the latest in a series of attempts to silence Navalny," said State Department spokesman Ned Price.

The United States on Tuesday condemned a Russian court verdict that found jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny guilty of additional charges, saying it was an attempt to silence him and distract from the invasion of Ukraine.

"The court's sham ruling is the latest in a series of attempts to silence Navalny," said State Department spokesman Ned Price.

"This disturbing decision... is another example of the Russian government's widening crackdown on dissent and freedom of expression, which is intended to hide the Kremlin's brutal war, and unprovoked war against Ukraine."