Kremlin calls accusations by Navalny's widow ‘unsubstantiated’ and ‘boorish’

Allegations to the effect Russian President Vladimir Putin may be involved in the death of Aleksey Navalny are absolutely unfounded, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said, TASS reports.

The Kremlin spokesman was speaking in response to a statement by Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya.

"We leave it without comment. Of course, these are absolutely unsubstantiated, boorish accusations [against] the head of the Russian state. But given that Yulia was widowed just [a few] days earlier, I will leave it without comment," Peskov said.

The Kremlin spokesman was also asked to comment on Navalnaya's remarks that her husband's body may not be released to relatives due to a wish to hide traces of some kind of poison.

"Frankly speaking, I am not familiar with this statement. But if something like this was pronounced, then these are nothing but unsubstantiated accusations. They are not backed up by anything. Not confirmed. In this case only for ethical reasons I can't evaluate these words properly," Peskov responded.