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Putin critic, Alexei Navalny, who was married to Yulia Navalnaya, reportedly died in the Arctic prison on Friday, February 16. The 47-year-old was the most prominent voice of opposition against the Kremlin.
The country’s Federal Penitentiary Service stated that Alexei fell unconscious after taking a walk on Friday, and was later pronounced dead. He moved to the prison late last year. The statement continued:
“The facility’s medical staff immediately arrived and an ambulance brigade was called. All necessary resuscitation measures were taken, which did not lead to positive results. The ambulance doctors confirmed the death of the convict.”
Alexei left behind his wife Yulia, and their two children, Zahar, and Daria. He was serving a 19-year prison sentence on allegedly fabricated charges that were imposed on him for a political motif. In 2023, Alexei was moved to the toughest penal colonies in Russia.
Yamalo-Nenets district’s prison service said the opposition leader “felt unwell” after he took a walk on Friday. The exact cause of Alexei Navalny’s death is yet to be established.
Alexei Navalny is survived by his wife and two children
Alexei's wife Yulia Borisovna Navalnaya, attended Plekhanov Russian University of Economics. She worked at a bank in Moscow for some time. She met Alexei Navalny in 1998, who was then a lawyer. They tied the knot in 2000 and gave birth to their daughter Daria in 2001. Their son Zahar was born in 2008.
Yulia stood by Alexei's side all these years throughout his political endeavors. Their daughter Daria is currently attending Stanford University. However, it is not clear what she is pursuing. In the past, Daria joined her mother in speaking out for Alexei and demanding his release from captivity. She has also posted videos calling for her father’s justice and spreading awareness about his situation.
In 2021, Daria spoke at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy where she accepted the Moral Courage Award on Alexei’s behalf. Not much is known about Alexei and Yulia’s son Zahar. He appeared at the 2023 Oscars with his mother and sister to receive the award for Best Documentary Feature Film on behalf of his father.
Political figures blame Putin for Alexei Navalny's death
Shortly after Russian authorities announced Alexei Navalny’s death, the international community hailed his courage as Vladimir Putin’s biggest domestic opponent. France said the 47-year-old paid for the resistance against Russian oppression with his life.
In August 2020, Alexei suffered nerve agent poisoning while he was on a flight to Moscow from Siberia. He returned to Russia in 2021 and had been imprisoned till his death on Friday. Alexei previously blamed the Kremlin for the poisoning incident.
Several other political figures including Hillary Clinton and Ursula von der Leyen have claimed that Putin silenced Alexei Navalny by murdering him.
