Head of Navalny group resigns over sanctions-relief letter

MOSCOW (AP) — The chairman of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s investigative foundation has resigned over a letter he wrote seeking the lifting of European Union sanctions against top officials of a group that includes one of Russia’s largest banks. Leonid Volkov said he was resigning Thursday. On Wednesday, a Russian journalist posted what he said was a letter signed by Volkov and other prominent figures to European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell about the sanctions. Volkov denied signing that letter, but on Thursday he released a copy of one he sent himself to Borrell in October asking for lifting of the sanctions. He said he had overstepped his authority and would resign.