The death of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny shocked his supporters, who see hope for change in Russia, and sparked a wave of international condemnation and condemnation.
The circumstances of Navalny's death on Friday remain unclear, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has been accused of holding him responsible for the “assassination” of the Kremlin's most prominent opponent, a view agreed by Navalny's supporters. and Western leaders.
Despite the “ugliness” of the matter, “Putin's decision to kill Navalny should not come as a surprise…for the Russian president, it is entirely logical to silence the most important opposition member once and for all,” an analysis published in the paper suggests. Newspaper Foreign Affairs.
Navalny is not an ordinary adversary because he was able to transform social media networks and defeat the Kremlin in their own backyard, as technology was able to expose the regime's transgressions and actions in Moscow and broadcast their information to millions of people. People on various platforms, especially YouTube.
Unlike Putin's other opponents, Navalny was able to reach a broad section of supporters of his views, and his focus was not on the country's elites, as he reached Russians everywhere, including workers and professionals, both inside and outside the country. , according to the analysis.
Navalny is “not a prophet,” but he has infiltrated Russian society and “besieged by a regime that is increasing the intensity of repression,” becoming a figure everyone agrees represents Russia's future, which is why Russian authorities have tried to isolate him since his arrest in 2021, which has not stopped him from continuing to support him. From his supporters and supporters.
The analysis points out that Navalny's death “represents a new and dark step in Putin's ruthless quest for power, and raises a serious challenge for the Russian opposition, which must figure out how to preserve the unity that Alexei paved the way for.”
Putin pursued a strategy that Russians were not ready for Western democracy because they could enjoy “guided democracy,” a strong leader capable of implementing real reforms in Russia, not to mention seeking to isolate the country's liberals. Major cities, and cut off from Russia's needs and interests.
“Hope is dead.” How did the world react to Navalny's death?
Alexei Navalny, the most prominent Kremlin dissident, died Friday in an Arctic penal colony where he had served 19 years in prison, sparking a wave of popular movements in Russia and European cities, not to mention widespread Western condemnation. It held several officials from the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin responsible.
But in 2017, Navalny was able to attack Putin's regime irrepressibly in a documentary video produced by Alexey on the YouTube channel, in which he revealed the precise details of corruption among those close to Putin. Fuel protests in 100 cities and one city across Russia.
The analysis showed that Navalny's death was “the culmination of years of Russia's efforts to stamp out the opposition,” with Putin making political assassination a key part of his toolkit, fearing his death could embolden the opposition. Anti-Putin Russians.
A newspaper editorial notes The Washington Post Navalny “fought to save Russian democracy,” which upset Putin, who has been in power for more than two decades.
Putin has pushed Russia further toward authoritarianism, something Navalny has sought to undermine, and a few weeks ago he called on Russians to protest in his prison cell on the day of the upcoming presidential election, which Putin will win without serious competition.
Scary newspaper story The Wall Street Journal Navalny's death may mark the end of political dissent in Russia.
Navalny's death 'removes a thorn in Putin's back and sends a message to the opposition'
The sudden death of key opposition figure Alexei Navalny has highlighted efforts to monopolize power by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who appeared with an unusual smile on the day of his death.
The dissident, who died in prison at the age of 47 and spent the last three of his time behind bars, said many Russians saw in him the best hope for change after years of repression under Putin's rule, according to Agence France-Presse.
Despite chilly weather and snow in Moscow, Russians quietly flocked to memorial shrines to the late opposition figure Navalny erected in several parts of the Russian capital on Saturday, where they laid flowers, lit candles and paid their respects. Not without political news.
Although created in silence, these symbolic shrines in Moscow represent an act of transgression in a country that bans all forms of political dissent.
On Saturday, people close to the Russian opposition member described Russian authorities as “murderers” who refused to hand over his body and were trying to “cover up their actions”, while the Kremlin remained silent, rejecting Western accusations that President Putin was responsible. This death.
