During his long and tumultuous political career, Alexei Navalny almost single handedly led the Russian opposition movement. He became a popular symbol of anti-Putin resistance, in a nation where free speech is incredibly limited. Throughout his career, he was dedicated to advocating for and improving the lives of the working classes of Russia. Navalny was admired for his courage and tenacity, and was targeted by the Kremlin because of his actions. Navalny died on February 16 in an arctic penal colony that has been known from testimonies by former inmates to be designed to break the human spirit. Its remote location, lack of regulation and supplies, and heavy reliance on solitary confinement all contribute to its inhumane conditions. Navalny’s death was a shock to a country that has long seen him as the most viable political alternative to Putin. It has been speculated (by people as prominent as Yulia Navalnaya, his wife) that Navalny was killed by the Russian government, a claim that is reasonable when one recalls the numerous poisoning attempts he faced over the years, most notably a poisoning with the nerve agent Novichok in 2020, a chemical designed to damage the nervous system and cause cardiac arrest. Although these claims will probably never be proven, their very presence shows the frustration of the Russian people over Navalny’s death.
Credit: BBC
If it is true that Putin organized Navalny’s death in the penal colony, then the reason why becomes quite clear; Navalny’s presence in Russia was too dangerous for the regime. However, his death has not had any demoralizing effect on the Russian people. Rather, it has incentivised a long suffering nation towards political action. His funeral, held in Moscow, drew thousands of mourners, even with a threatening police presence. Hundreds of Russian civilians who attended the funeral have been detained. Some civilians were arrested after their identities were discovered using AI facial recognition technology on videos of the funeral. Russia’s practice of using technology against its own citizens has become more frequent since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, Russian citizens have not been intimidated by this increased surveillance. Nor have they let the Kremlin suffocate the legacy of Navalny’s movement.
Navalny leaves behind his wife and two children. Although all 3 members of his immediate family live outside of Russia, Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has long been involved in the Russian political scene by proxy of her husband. She has taken a more prominent political stance in the weeks since Navalny’s death. Navalnaya made a public statement after her husband’s death denouncing the cruelties of the Russian government and promising to continue the legacy of opposition Navalny dedicated himself to.