In a very unexpected plot twist, Ukraine appears to be in agreement with the Kremlin on Alexei Navalny's death inside a far northern Russian prison which occurred on Feb. 16 and was listed by Russian authorities as officially due to "natural causes". The dominant Western narrative has thus far been that Putin had him "murdered".

Yet now Kiev sources are saying that the anti-Putin activist supported by the West died of a blood clot. Surprisingly, this explanation is being advanced among Ukraine media sources after none other than Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR), bluntly stated it to a group of journalists on Sunday. "I may disappoint you, but as far as we know, he indeed died as a result of a blood clot. And this has been more or less confirmed," Budanov stated.

Another stunning development and further plot twist has emerged via Bloomberg reporting on Monday. Navalny was supposedly very close to being released amid secret talks involving the US and Germany:

Alexey Navalny had been close to release in a prisoner exchange with the US and Germany shortly before his death in an Arctic prison, a top aide to the Russian opposition leader said.

"Navalny was supposed to be freed in the coming days," Maria Pevchikh said in a video statement posted Monday. Russian President Vladimir Putin was offered an assassin imprisoned in Germany in exchange for Navalny and two US citizens, she said.