Funeral Service for Alexey Navalny, Prominent Russian Opposition Figure, to be Held in Moscow
The funeral service for Alexey Navalny, Russia’s most prominent opposition figure, will be held on Friday at a church in the Moscow neighborhood where he lived. Navalny’s press secretary, Kira Yarmysh, announced the details on social media, stating that the service will take place at the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God ‘Relieve My Sorrows’ in Maryino at 14:00. She urged people to arrive early. The funeral will then be held at the Borisov Cemetery.
Navalny, aged 47, tragically died in an Arctic penal colony on February 16. His family has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of having him murdered in prison. They fought for over a week to have his body returned to them, and it was finally handed over to his mother on Saturday.
Yarmysh revealed that Russian authorities had initially threatened to bury Navalny at the prison where he died if his family did not agree to a closed funeral. However, his mother refused to negotiate, asserting that they had no authority to decide how and where to bury her son.
The news of Navalny’s death sparked an outpouring of support across Russia. People honored him by leaving flowers at public monuments, gathering at churches, and holding single-person protests. However, over 400 individuals were detained by Russian authorities as they attempted to contain the demonstrations of support.
Finding a location for the funeral proved challenging due to government interference. Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, explained that they were unable to secure a large space in Moscow as everywhere they approached refused to provide them with a venue. Zhdanov expressed his frustration, stating, “There will be no hall. Bastards. They don’t give a date. They don’t provide a hall. Everyone will say goodbye to Alexey anyway.”
Navalny was known for his outspoken criticism of Putin’s government and had survived at least two suspected assassination attempts, including a nerve agent attack in 2020. He was initially sentenced to nine years in a high-security prison for parole violations, fraud, and contempt of court. Later, he was convicted of promoting “extremism” and had his sentence extended by 19 years in August 2023. Navalny was then transferred to another high-security prison with a reputation for abuse, raising concerns about his safety.
His prosecution and imprisonment were widely seen as politically motivated, both by Navalny himself and many outside observers. The U.S. State Department also labeled it as such. Navalny’s wife, Yulia, addressed the international community in a speech, emphasizing that dealing with Putin required different methods than traditional politics. She called on the world to “fight the Putin mafia” using tactics used against organized crime, rather than engaging in political competition.
Yulia vowed to continue her husband’s work and demanded that Putin be held accountable for his actions. She expressed her determination to see a beautiful future for Russia, even though her husband would not be there to witness it. Yulia’s powerful words resonated with those who admired Navalny’s courage and dedication to fighting corruption and injustice.
The funeral service for Alexey Navalny will be a somber occasion, marking the loss of a fearless opposition figure who dedicated his life to challenging the Russian government. As people gather to bid him farewell, his legacy will undoubtedly live on, inspiring others to continue the fight for justice and democracy in Russia.
