Commemoration of critics

Kremlin: Reactions to Navalny’s death “over the top”

All over the world, people took to the streets to commemorate Kremlin critic Navalny. Flowers were also laid in front of the Russian embassy in Armenia.(Bild: Vahram Baghdasaryan/PHOTOLURE via AP)

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has described the reactions of Western politicians to the death of popular opposition politician Alexei Navalny as "exaggerated" and "unacceptable". There is still no precise information from doctors, forensic experts or the penal system. Nevertheless, there have already been reactions from the West. 

"It is obvious that these are absolutely exaggerated and absolutely unacceptable statements. They are unacceptable," Peskov criticized. "I have nothing more to say on this subject."

Navalny's wife: "Defeat the regime together!"
At the Munich Security Conference, Navalny's wife Julia called on everyone to stand together against Putin's regime and defeat it: "This regime and Vladimir Putin personally should be held accountable for all the atrocities they have committed in my country, in our country Russia, in recent years." 

Horror after death of Kremlin critic
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his shock. Guterres called for a "comprehensive, credible and transparent investigation" into the circumstances. 

"In today's Russia, free spirits are sent to the gulag and sentenced to death," commented French President Emmanuel Macron. It is "obvious that Navalny was killed by Putin", said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi on the fringes of his visit to Berlin.

"I am shocked by the news of Alexei Navalny's death. Vladimir Putin and his murderous regime are responsible," Van der Bellen wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday. "After the murder of numerous critics, the criminal Putin regime is taking the life of the most important opposition leader," said Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens).

People in Russia commemorate Navalny
Following the news of the death of imprisoned Kremlin opponent Alexei Navalny, people gathered in several Russian cities to remember the famous opposition politician.

Despite a large police presence, people queued in Moscow city center on Friday to lay flowers at a memorial for victims of political repression. There were similar images from St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod and several other cities.

All over the world, people took to the streets to commemorate Kremlin critic Navalny. Flowers were also laid in front of the Russian embassy in Armenia.(Bild: Vahram Baghdasaryan/PHOTOLURE via AP)

Commemoration in London(Bild: AFP)

Candles in Frankfurt(Bild: AP)

Some people brought photos of Navalny with them, some cried and hugged each other. Navalny, who is said to have died at the age of 47 in a remote prison camp in northern Russia, was considered the most courageous opponent of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and was the greatest source of hope for many critical Russians.

This afternoon, Russian state media reported that he had died in a prison camp in northern Russia at the age of 47, citing the penal system.

Navalny's associates living in exile spoke of a "murder" of the opposition politician and held Putin personally responsible for this - as well as for a poison attack that Navalny narrowly survived in 2020.