Yulia Navalnaya was one of the speakers invited to participate in the Web Summit. In a speech about autocracy and technology, the intervention was not what she most expected. The opponent of the Russian regime was heavily booed by members of the audience, in particular by Ukrainian citizens.
The cries echo: “Propaganda! Russia is a terrorist state” et “Stop Russia.” Alexei Navalny‘s widow invited the protesters to go on stage to say what they were shouting in the audience.
A woman finally took the stage to question Alexei Navalny’s widow about her position regarding the conflict in Ukraine.
“I would like to ask you, as leader of the opposition in Russia, if you support the war in Ukraine”she asked.
Yulia Navalnaya did not mince her words, saying she did not support the conflict, which should end immediately.
“I do not support war. A truce would be the best thing for Russia at this time and it should have happened yesterday”she said. “We are all in opposition. We must all be on the same side”added Yulia Navalnaya.
The activist also said she was surprised by the question, recalling her husband’s past opposition to Mr Putin, which led to his arrest.
“Alexei Navalny was the opposition leader in Putin’s Russia for many years. He fought against Putin’s regime, even in prison, against the war. A court was set up in prison to try him, but he continued to resist. I can’t believe there are people coming on this stage to ask me that.”she declared in a tone of indignation.
The topic moved to a second speech by the Russian woman, who again condemned the conflict, recalling the Russians who are imprisoned for opposing Vladimir Putin‘s regime.
“Ukraine is fighting. But I want to remind you that it was Vladimir Putin’s regime that started this war and that we must support Ukraine. Ukraine is defending its independence. It is very important to support the country, but it is also important to remember the people in Russia who are trying to do something against this regime and who are trying to stop this war. It is very important not to forget these Russians who are in prison. she explained.
Ukrainians criticize international invitations extended to Russian speakers
Khrystyna Zhuk was one of the Ukrainian women at the protest during the event and posted several videos on social media, calling on others to join the protest.
“The world should remember the war in Ukraine and not invite representatives of country 404 to international events”Zhuk pointed out in an Instagram post.
If we look at the comments, the clear majority share the same opinion, criticizing the invitations made to Russian speakers, whether or not they present themselves as opponents.
Although he presented himself as a clear opponent of Vladimir Putin, Alexei Navalny was not viewed with complete trust by Ukrainians. Although he has not shown support for the conflict, the Russian has never shown clear opposition to the annexation of territories, quite the contrary.
In October 2014, seven months after Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of a civil war in eastern Ukraine, Navalny gave a response that did not sit well with Ukrainians on the annexation of the territory. “Crimea belongs to the people who live in Crimea”Navalny said, adding that he did not see a Ukrainian future for this territory. The opposition leader, however, condemned the annexation process, saying it was a “blatant violation of all international standards”.
“Ukrainians do not need to invent an enemy in the Russian opposition”
The event was commented on by Navalnaya herself. On social networks, Navalny’s widow once again emphasized how surprised she was by this affair, rewriting the words she had said during her speech.
In this text, Navalnaya emphasizes that the enemy of the Ukrainians is the same as hers, in a clear allusion to Vladimir Putin.
“I also said that we have only one enemy. And the Ukrainians do not need to invent an enemy in the Russian opposition”can we read on the social network
“I have political ambitions”
In one of her speeches, Navalny’s widow confirmed that she had “political ambitions” in Russia and that she had theintention to run for president of the countrywhich she has also confirmed on other occasions.
Furthermore, the opponent of Putin’s regime says she wants to see the current Russian leader imprisoned while the country transforms into a democratic society: “Putin committed many crimes in Russia, he started the war, killed dissidents, put many people in prison. I want him to watch Russia transform into a democratic society in prison.”
Russian prison authorities confirmed the death of Alexei Navalnythe main figure of the Russian opposition, on February 16, after his transfer from his prison to a penal colony located in a remote Arctic region.
After the death of the Russian opponent, his wife quickly took over the post of political activist and has been working in this direction ever since.
Although she holds the Russian president directly responsible for her husband’s death, Navalnaya assures that it is not revenge that drives her: “I love my country. My children love it. I want to return to my country. He is a criminal who runs my country. I watched my husband struggle for years.”she explains. “Why are we giving the country to Putin?”
