Alexei Navalny’s life of defiance and mysterious disappearance

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died on Friday (Feb 16) at the Arctic prison colony where he was serving his 19-year prison term, said Russia’s federal penitentiary service in a statement.

“Navalny felt bad after a walk, almost immediately losing consciousness. Medical staff arrived immediately and an ambulance team was called. Resuscitation measures were carried out which did not yield positive results. Paramedics confirmed the death of the convict. The causes of death are being established,” the statement said. 

Russia’s Investigative Committee said that it had launched a probe into Navalny’s death.

After the news of the 47-year-old’s death broke, Navalny’s press secretary Kira Yarmysh said that their team had no confirmation of this yet.

“The Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug is spreading the news of Alexey Navalny’s death in IK-3. We have no confirmation of this yet. Alexey’s lawyer is currently on his way to Kharp. As soon as we have some information, we will report on it,” said Yarmysh on social media platform X.

President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the Navalny’s death, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

“It has been reported to the president,” Peskov told journalists, adding that “it should be up to the medics to clarify” the cause of death.

Navalny has been known for campaigning against official corruption and organising major anti-Kremlin protests.

The exposes that he shared on his official YouTube channel, grabbed millions of views and prompted thousands of Russians to stage protests in the country.

Navalny was imprisoned in early 2021 after returning to Russia from Germany, where he was recovering from a deadly poisoning attack with Novichok, which is a Soviet-era nerve agent.

He was sentenced to 19 years in prison in a string of cases on charges that were widely condemned by independent rights groups and in the West as a retaliation for his opposition to the Kremlin.

In December 2023, Navalny’s lawyers reported losing contact with the imprisoned Russian opposition leader and said that his whereabouts were not known.

His lawyers had said that they made several attempts to get access to two penal colonies near Moscow where he was believed to be kept, but they were informed that the 47-year-old was neither at IK-6 nor at IK-7.

However, after two weeks, the staunch Kremlin critic released a statement saying that he was fine after a “pretty exhausting” 20-day transfer to a penal colony beyond the Arctic Circle. 

In a post on X, he said, “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. I’m totally relieved that I’ve finally made it.”

“I’m still in a good mood, as befits a Santa Claus,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)