In Moscow, Russians gathered in queues on Saturday to pay their respects and place flowers on the grave of the late opposition politician Alexei Navalny. Mourners praised him as a symbol of hope and perseverance, just a day after he was laid to rest in Moscow.
Navalny’s mother, Lyudmila, joined the mourners and visited her son’s grave for the second day, accompanied by Yulia’s mother. The two women, dressed in black, stood quietly at the grave before departing.
Navalny, known as President Vladimir Putin’s staunchest critic in Russia, passed away at the age of 47 in an Arctic penal colony on February 16. His supporters alleged foul play in his death, but the Kremlin has denied any involvement.
On Friday, thousands attended a farewell ceremony for Navalny, with some chanting his name and expressing unforgiveness towards the Russian authorities for his demise.
By Saturday, the grave in a Moscow cemetery near his former residence was adorned with flowers left by numerous mourners.
“He opened my eyes to the political situation in Russia,” one unnamed mourner shared about Navalny’s impact, as he gained prominence through blogs uncovering alleged corruption within the Russian elite.
“I followed all his investigations closely. I shared them with friends who weren’t very interested in politics. I attempted to show them to my parents, but that was more challenging. I value truth and honesty, and I’m pleased when truth prevails.”
The Kremlin dismissed Navalny’s corruption allegations and claims about Putin’s wealth. Navalny’s movement is banned, and many of his key allies have fled to Europe.
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Another mourner paid respects at the grave to honor the memory of Navalny, describing him as a symbol of perseverance and expressing deep sorrow over recent events.
“Despite the grim circumstances, it’s heartening to witness the large turnout here, which provides a sense of unity,” the mourner remarked.
“He was a significant symbol. Regardless of personal opinions, he truly embodied a symbol of freedom, brightness, and hope.”
Police monitored the scene without intervening as mourners left flowers at Navalny’s grave on Saturday.
OVD-Info, a rights group, reported 91 detentions on Friday in 12 cities, including Moscow, but did not update on new detentions on Saturday.
Navalny had faced various charges, including fraud, contempt of court, and extremism, which he denied as fabricated to silence his critique of Putin.
(Reporting by Reuters, Writing by Maxim Rodionov, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
