Alexei Navalny, a man who was one of the most determined and active opponents of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has died. Born west of Moscow on June 4, 1976, Navalny later studied law and finance. He is known for his opposition work.
He made his political beginnings in the liberal-democratic Yabloko party. He is later excluded from this because he describes himself as a nationalist. Since 2011, he has been known beyond the borders of Russia through his organization dedicated to the fight against corruption. The foundation will also publish the well-known video about Putin’s wealth and his villa in 2021.
Alexei Navalny survives several poison attacks
Over the course of his life, the opposition activist was arrested and charged several times. These charges are also what prevented his candidacy for president in Russia in 2018. The Central Election Commission in Russia is excluding Navalny from the election, which has been strongly condemned from abroad.
But the Kremlin critic is also personally attacked. In 2017 he was attacked with green paint, presumably mixed with acid, on his face. In 2020 he barely survived being poisoned with the chemical warfare agent Novichok. First, medical staff in Siberia save his life, then he is flown to Germany and the attending doctors at the Berlin Charité look after him. Navalny and his team blame the Kremlin for the events – they deny any involvement.
Always at his side: Ms. Julia Navalnaya. The two married in 2000 and had two children, Daria and Zakhar. It is also Navalnaya who accompanies him on his last flight to freedom in 2021. After five months of recovery in Germany, Navalny insists on returning to Russia. There he was arrested at the airport in Moscow – the subsequent protests were suppressed and thousands were arrested.
The following time in the penal camp was probably one of the hardest of his life; he later called the camps “friendly concentration camps”. He repeatedly complains about the lack of medical help, harassment and even torture there.
Kremlin critic was harassed in prison
While his team launches a campaign against Putin in December 2023, Navalny disappears from the scene. Observers believe that the timing so close to the Russian election is no coincidence. The federal government, the EU and the USA are concerned because Navalny, who is internationally recognized as a political prisoner, is also in poor health. A few weeks later he shows up again. He hasn’t lost his sense of humor, but he seems weakened.
Now it is clear: despite his publicly displayed defiance, he did not survive these camps. Here too, the Kremlin will probably deny any responsibility.
Alexei Navalny was 47 years old. The pictures of his life show a life of resistance.
Sources: AP, Britannica“Time“, with information from news agencies