Alexey Navalny, a prominent figure in the Russian opposition, is just one of many Kremlin critics who have faced persecution under President Vladimir Putin’s regime. In early 2021, Navalny was imprisoned upon his return from Germany, where he had been recovering from a near-fatal poisoning. He was sentenced to 19 years in prison on “extremism” charges, a move widely condemned by human rights organizations. His death in a remote prison colony in the Arctic Circle has sparked outrage and raised concerns about the safety of Kremlin critics in Russia.
Other opposition figures, such as the former Russian FSB spy Alexander Litvinenko and former prime minister Boris Nemtsov, have also faced tragic fates for their criticism of Putin’s government. Some, like former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, have been forced into exile and continue to speak out against the Kremlin from abroad. The decision to send troops into Ukraine in February 2022 led to an unprecedented crackdown on opposition voices in Russia, resulting in many fleeing the country.
Vladimir Kara-Murza, an opposition politician, was sentenced to 25 years in prison in April 2023 for his critical comments about the Kremlin and the military operation in Ukraine. Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner mercenary group, died in a mysterious plane crash after openly criticizing the Russian army’s handling of the Ukraine war. Acclaimed author Boris Akunin, another outspoken Putin critic, has been added to a list of “terrorists and extremists” by the Russian government.
The deaths, imprisonments, and intimidation tactics used against critics have led many to fear for their safety and the future of opposition movements in Russia. Despite the risks, some, like Boris Akunin, see the deaths of figures like Navalny as a rallying cry for their cause, posing a greater threat to Putin’s regime in death than they did in life.