Deceased Kremlin critic
Crowds at Navalny’s funeral in Moscow despite threatening backdrop
A police officer guards onlookers near the church. photo
© AP/dpa
The public memorial service for the dead opposition figure Navalny and the funeral put the Kremlin on edge. Despite the threatening backdrop of the power apparatus, many people come.
Despite a large contingent of police and security forces, there were already hours before the Kremlin opponent’s funeral Alexei Navalny gathered hundreds of people in Moscow.
At the church honoring the Mother of God icon “Relieve My Sorrow” in the southeastern district of Marjino, hundreds of people crowded metal railings to say goodbye to the opposition leader. Many carried flowers in their hands. A funeral service is scheduled for 2 p.m. local time (12 p.m. CET) at the church. The funeral is scheduled two hours later at the Borisovskoye cemetery.
The metal grilles were set up over a wide area, dozens of emergency vehicles with uniformed officers took up positions early in the morning, and uniformed officers checked documents and personal belongings of passers-by, as Russian media reported. The mobile internet was also turned down.
According to observers, Navalny, who was considered Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin’s most important opponent, is putting the power apparatus in extreme nervousness even after his death. Putin’s authorities fear that supporters of Navalny, who died in a prison camp two weeks ago, could protest against the Kremlin chief. Putin wants to be confirmed as president in an election in two weeks. Supporters, relatives and human rights activists of Navalny accuse Putin of having the Russian opposition leader murdered in custody. The Kremlin rejects this.
According to authorities, Navalny died on February 16 in the penal camp with the unofficial name “Arctic Wolf” in the Siberian Arctic region of Yamal at the age of 47. The circumstances of his death are not clear. The politician, who was weakened by a poison attack in 2020 and repeated solitary confinement in the camp, is said to have collapsed during a tour of the icy prison yard and died despite attempts to resuscitate him. According to Navalny’s team, the death certificate mentions “natural” causes.