Key Factors
- Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was laid to relaxation in Moscow on Friday.
- Hundreds of Russians defied warnings to pay their respects to the 47-year-old.
- Navalny died final month in an Arctic penal colony, sparking accusations from his supporters that he had been murdered.
Hundreds of individuals have chanted Alexei Navalny’s identify and say they won’t forgive the Russian authorities for his dying because the opposition chief was laid to relaxation in Moscow.
In video streamed from the Borisovskyoe cemetery, Navalny’s mom Lyudmila and father Anatoly stooped over his open coffin to kiss him for the final time as a small group of musicians performed.
Crossing themselves, mourners stepped ahead to caress his face earlier than a priest gently positioned a white shroud over him and the coffin was closed.
Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest critic inside Russia, , sparking accusations from his supporters that he had been murdered.
The Kremlin has denied any state involvement in his dying.
The authorities have outlawed his motion as extremist and forged his supporters as US-backed troublemakers out to foment revolution.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned he had nothing to say to Navalny’s household.
Many 1000’s of individuals turned out to pay their respects on the cemetery and out of doors the Soothe My Sorrows church in southeast Moscow the place Orthodox monks held a brief funeral service earlier than the physique was taken to the cemetery.
Among the many giant crowd, many individuals clutched bunches of flowers and a few joined in chants – “Russia shall be free”, “No to warfare”, “Russia with out Putin”, “We can’t forgive” and “Putin is a assassin”.
Police have been current in giant numbers however didn’t intervene.
Hundreds gathered outdoors the Church of the Icon of the Mom of God Soothe My Sorrows in Moscow to pay their respects to Alexei Navalny. Supply: AAP / AP
“I got here right here to say goodbye to Navalny. What does that imply for me? I do not even know how you can clarify it,” a 25-year-old man who gave his identify as Kirill mentioned.
“It is very unhappy for the way forward for Russia … We can’t hand over, we are going to imagine in one thing higher.”
A younger lady, Kamila, mentioned: “There are greater than 10,000 folks right here, and nobody is afraid … We got here right here so as to honour the reminiscence of a person who additionally wasn’t afraid, who wasn’t afraid of something.”
State media gave scant protection to the funeral.
The RIA information company reported the very fact of Navalny’s burial, noting the presence of international envoys together with the US, French and German ambassadors, and recalled that he had been jailed on a number of prices together with fraud, contempt of court docket and extremism.
Alexei Navalny died on 16 February in an Arctic penal colony. Supply: Getty / Anadolu
Navalny denied all these prices, saying that they had been trumped up by the authorities to silence his criticism of Putin.
Greater than 1 / 4 of one million folks watched the farewell to Navalny on his YouTube channel, which is blocked inside Russia.
Allies of Navalny outdoors Russia known as on individuals who wish to honour his reminiscence however couldn’t attend his funeral service to as an alternative go to memorials to Soviet-era repression in their very own cities on Friday at 7pm.
The Kremlin mentioned any unsanctioned gatherings in assist of Navalny would violate the legislation.
Navalny’s spouse Yulia and two youngsters, who’re dwelling outdoors Russia, didn’t attend the funeral.
Yulia Navalnaya, who has pledged to proceed her husband’s work, thanked him for “26 years of absolute happiness”.
She posted on X: “I do not know how you can reside with out you, however I’ll strive my greatest to make you up there blissful for me and happy with me. I do not know if I will handle it or not however I’ll strive.”
Within the run-up to Navalny’s funeral, his allies accused the authorities of blocking their plans to carry a much bigger civil memorial service.
The Kremlin has mentioned it has nothing to do with Navalny’s funeral preparations.
