Displaying items by tag: Alexei Navalny

Lithuania has blamed Moscow for a brutal hammer attack on Leonid Volkov, a close aide to the late Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, outside his home in Vilnius. Volkov sustained injuries, including a broken arm, in the assault. The Lithuanian president has condemned the attack as a planned provocation, challenging Vladimir Putin's regime. Lithuanian authorities are intensively investigating the incident, attributing it to Moscow's efforts to influence the upcoming presidential election. Volkov has vowed to continue the opposition's struggle against Putin despite the attack. This assault marks the latest in a series of threats and violence against Navalny's allies living abroad, following his recent death in custody. His widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has urged the West not to recognise Russia's upcoming presidential election results, denouncing Putin as a usurper and murderer.

Oleg Orlov, a veteran human rights campaigner, has been sentenced to two and a half years in jail for criticising Russia's involvement in the Ukraine conflict. Orlov, 70, served as a leader in the Memorial human rights organisation, which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 but was subsequently banned in Russia. He faced charges of ‘discrediting’ the Russian army by claiming it was engaged in ‘mass murder’ in Ukraine. Orlov staunchly defended his actions in court, lambasting the Russian state's descent into authoritarianism and fascism. The closure of Memorial marked a significant escalation in Vladimir Putin's crackdown on dissenting voices. Orlov's imprisonment reflects a broader trend of silencing anti-war activists. In his closing statement, Orlov paid tribute to Alexei Navalny, who died in prison on 9 February: he will be buried in Moscow on 1 March. on 1 March.

There has been a chorus of international condemnation after the Russian authorities announced the death of Alexei Navalny in an Arctic prison on 16 February. His widow Yuli Navalnaya has deliberately stepped into the spotlight by declaring her commitment to continue his fight for a better Russia. Blaming Vladimir Putin, she has called on fellow Russians to join her in opposing him. Her message resonates with those opposed to Putin's regime, offering hope and inspiration. Previously reserved, Yulia has emerged as a woman of resilience and moral authority, compelling in her grief and love for her husband's cause. Meanwhile, a court in the far north will hear a case brought by Navalny’s mother, who at time of writing still had not been allowed to see her son’s body: see

With his life and freedom on the line as he challenged Russia's dictatorial regime, opposition leader Alexei Navalny reached out to Christian leaders in a search for ‘eternal values’. Sergey Rakhuba of Mission Eurasia says Navalny found God as he was facing great challenges and ‘fighting for his life’. Navalny proclaimed that he abandoned atheism and professed faith in God at a court hearing in January. ‘I believe he pronounced the most powerful sermon out of that cage in the courtroom,’ Rakhuba said. ‘He referred to the Bible as an ancient book that the world should adopt and build their rules on for daily living. I think it was the most powerful presentation of the Gospel.’ Navalny quoted Matthew, ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled’.