Alexei Navalny Is Dead

The Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, has passed away, according to an announcement by the federal prison service. Navalny, a prominent political opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, collapsed during a walk in the high-security penal colony located near the Arctic Circle, where he was being held. The 47-year-old’s death comes just a month before a presidential election that would see Putin extending his rule of over two decades.

European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have suggested Putin’s involvement in Navalny’s demise. French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné stated that Navalny paid with his life for resisting oppression, while Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsk´y asserted that Navalny had been “imprisoned and tortured to death for standing up to Putin.”

The federal penitentiary service’s Yamal directorate provided details of Navalny’s death, reporting that he felt unwell after a walk, losing consciousness almost immediately. Despite prompt medical attention, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. The cause of death is under investigation.

The unexpected collapse contrasts with Navalny’s apparent good health and spirits just a day prior, as seen in a video from a court session where he joked about running out of spending money in prison. Navalny’s mother, Liudmila Navalnaya, also denied any prior health issues, stating that she saw her son on February 12 during a visit, describing him as alive, healthy, and cheerful.

Navalny had been a prominent opposition figure in Russia, rallying citizens against Kremlin policies despite increasing restrictions on dissent. In August 2020, he survived a poisoning attack with the nerve agent Novichok, which his supporters believe was a state-sponsored attempt on his life. After receiving treatment in Germany, Navalny returned to Russia in 2021, where he was immediately arrested and remained in custody.