Some 400 people were arrested across Russia for marking the death of Alexei Navalny, the country’s leading opposition figure. Mr Navalny was found dead at the Arctic penal colony to which he had been recently bundled, the result of “sudden death syndrome”, according to the authorities, who refused to release his body to his family. Politicians in the West held Vladimir Putin responsible. Despite his incarceration, Mr Navalny continued to infuriate the Russian president, relaying “Arctic hugs and polar greetings to all” in his new year message. His wife, Yulia Navalnaya, has vowed to continue his work. America prepared new sanctions against Russia.
The Russian regime has a long reach hitting its enemies. A Russian helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine was found dead in Spain. The head of Russia’s foreign intelligence service described the man as a “traitor and criminal”.
Source link
