The repercussions of the death in prison of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was sentenced to 19 years in prison in Russia and called one of Putin’s biggest rivals, continued for a while. Describing the incident as “another proof of Putin’s ruthlessness”, US President Biden left his mark on the agenda by saying, “Undoubtedly, Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death.” Navalny’s wife, Yulia Navalny, said, “Putin will bear the consequences of his actions.”
Putin’s biggest rival, Russian opposition Navalny, is sent off on his last journey
A religious ceremony was held for Navalny today at 14:00 local time at the Church of Our Lady in the Maryino district of Moscow, where he previously lived. Navalni’s mother and father also attend the ceremony. The body will then be buried at the nearby Borisovskoye Cemetery at 16:00 local time. Navalni supporters gathered in front of the church despite the police taking intense security measures in the area.
Navalny’s team encouraged Russians to attend the funeral, sharing a map of the route between the two locations. The team also shared a list of places where commemorations for Navalni will be held abroad, from Seoul to Rome, from Montreal to Stockholm.
IT IS BROADCAST LIVE
The funeral ceremony in Moscow is also broadcast live on Navalni’s YouTube channel. It is reported that 130 thousand people have already watched the live broadcast. It is unclear how many people will attend today’s funeral.
Speaking to the BBC, Navalni’s former chief of staff, Leonid Volkov, said that he was worried about what might happen during the funeral ceremony in Moscow. The protests that broke out in Russia after Navalni’s death were met with a harsh reaction and many people were detained.
A SECURITY CAMERA WAS PLACED IN EACH STREET LAMP
Photos shared on social media on Thursday afternoon showed many police officers and barriers waiting to be erected near both the church where the memorial ceremony will be held and the cemetery where Navalni will be buried.