Yulia Navalnay, the wife of Alexei Navalny, expressed both joy and bitterness over the Cold War-style prisoner swap that freed prominent Russian dissidents last week.

Nearly six months after her husband died in an Arctic penal colony, Navalnaya stated that her husband, if he had been alive, was supposed to be part of the deal in which Russia handed over the dissidents, along with American and German nationals. The exchange included convicted Russian assassin Vadim Krasikov and other Russians held in Western prisons.

Navalny’s supporters had claimed shortly after his death on February 16 that he was close to being swapped for Krasikov, a member of Russia’s FSB security service, who was serving a life sentence in Germany for assassinating a former Chechen fighter.

“At the time, many thought it was impossible, that we had made it up. But now everything is absolutely clear,” Navalnaya said in a YouTube video.

“Putin did agree to hand over political prisoners in exchange for spies and assassins, and that happened. But not for Alexei.”

In her video, Navalnaya expressed her joy at the August 1 release of the eight Russian dissidents, but she also felt sadness.

She added that the exchange involving the US and Germany demonstrated that the Russian opposition still has connections with world leaders, who “have not abandoned Russia.”

Navalnaya also named at least 15 prisoners who are still being held on political charges, including Navalny’s TV technician Daniel Kholodny, three of Navalny’s lawyers, and other politicians, activists, and journalists.

Vladimir Kara-Murza and Ilya Yashin were also released as part of the swap, meaning that the Kremlin’s most prominent opponents are now out of the country. Navalnaya herself also cannot return to Russia, as a court recently upheld an order for her arrest due to her association with an extremist organization, meaning she will be detained if she returns to Russian soil.

It remains unclear whether the freed dissidents and other members of the Russian opposition will be able to work together effectively and what they can accomplish.

Navalnaya emphasized that it will take enormous effort and sacrifice, but the release of the prisoners offers hope.

“Just a week ago, they were in prison, locked behind steel doors… Today, they are free,” she said, adding, “One day, the same will happen to our country.”