Former NATO Commander On Russia Kremlin Fight For Vladimir Putin Succession

It is right to describe Alexei Navalny’s death as murder, a Foreign Office minister has said.

Leo Docherty agreed with the description of the Russian opposition leader’s death amid calls from MPs to bolster the UK’s sanctions regime in response to the incident.

Mr Docherty said the politician’s family must be allowed access to his body after Russian authorities denied his mother access to a mortuary where his body is believed to be held.

Downing Street has not commented on possible future sanctions in response to the death of the jailed dissident in an Arctic penal colony on Friday, but paid tribute to Mr Navalny and called for a full investigation.

Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron has already signalled that there could be fresh sanctions against Russian officials, amid questions for Russian authorities over how Mr Navalny died and a mounting chorus of Western voices holding Russian President Vladimir Putin responsible.

Ex-NATO Commander Chris Parry believes there is a "power-struggle" going on inside the Kremlin as to who will succeed Vladimir Putin.

"There's a shadowy sort of clique... no one is going to show themselves as a successor - otherwise they're likely to fall out a window!"