Dasha Navalnaya, daughter of the late Alexei Navalny, recently shared a heartfelt tribute to her father following his death. In an Instagram post, she uploaded a childhood photo featuring herself, her mother, and her father, accompanied by a message expressing her love and longing for him. This post marks the first public statement from Navalnaya, aged 23, since her father’s demise in a Siberian penal colony.
Biden meets Navalny’s wife and daughter in US
President Joe Biden met privately with Alexei Navalny’s wife and daughter in California on Thursday (Feb 22), offering support as his administration imposed new sanctions against Russia following the Kremlin critic’s death.
Today, I met with Yulia and Dasha Navalnaya – Aleksey Navalny’s loved ones – to express my condolences for their devastating loss.
Aleksey’s legacy of courage will live on in Yulia and Dasha, and the countless people across Russia fighting for democracy and human rights. pic.twitter.com/aiCcgTrws3
— President Biden (@POTUS) February 22, 2024
The emotional meeting, held in San Francisco, saw Biden embracing Yulia Navalnaya and engaging in discussions with her and Navalny’s daughter, Dasha.
The president, praised the women for their bravery, echoing Navalny’s courage. Yulia Navalnaya, committed to continuing her late husband’s opposition to Putin, received Biden’s encouragement.
The US announced sanctions against over 500 targets in Russia, citing Navalny’s death and the anniversary of Ukraine’s invasion. Navalny, a prominent critic of Putin, sparked protests against corruption and government malfeasance.
In Russia, hundreds of people have been detained in the past few days while attending gatherings to honour Navalny.
Following her son’s death announcement, Lyudmila Navalnaya travelled to Russia’s Far North in a bid to reclaim his body. Despite her efforts, officials initially denied her access, prompting her to issue a direct appeal to Putin.
Eventually, she was permitted to view Navalny’s body in a morgue near the remote prison in Salekhard.
However, she revealed in a social media video released by Navalny’s team that investigators were pressuring her to agree to a secretive burial arrangement, depriving loved ones of the chance to bid farewell.
Also watch | Russian officials not releasing Navalny’s body: Navalny’s team
“Looking me in the eye, they said that if I do not agree to a secret funeral they’ll do something with my son’s body… I ask for my son’s body to be given to me immediately,” she said.
Despite being informed of the cause of death by investigators, Navalny’s mother asserted that they did not disclose it. While the Kremlin has not specified a timeline for releasing the body, Western condemnation has intensified. The US National Security Council urged Russia to return Navalny’s body to his mother, while Putin has refrained from commenting on the matter. Navalny’s spokesperson revealed that the medical report provided to Lyudmila Navalnaya cited natural causes as the reason for Navalny’s death.
(With inputs from agencies)
