Navalny's Widow on Russia's "Wanted" List

Russia has issued an arrest warrant for the exiled opposition figure Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Alexei Navalny, who died in prison last February, on charges of belonging to a "extremist group." The Moscow courts' press office stated on Telegram: "Yulia Borisovna (Navalnaya) evaded the preliminary investigation, which is why she has been placed on the wanted list." The Basmanny Court in Moscow also ordered her to be placed in custody in absentia. Navalnaya commented on X: "Vladimir Putin is a killer and a war criminal. His place is in prison." Navalnaya had vowed to continue her late husband's struggle, who was the most prominent opponent of Vladimir Putin before his death under unclear circumstances in a prison in the Russian Arctic in February 2024. She urged her husband's supporters not to lose hope as she continues to denounce Russian authorities and the fate of opposition figures in Russia via social media. Meanwhile, Germany, where Navalnaya resides, deemed the arrest warrant issued by Russia as contrary to democracy. Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that it is "an arrest warrant against the will for freedom and democracy." Organizations and associations affiliated with Navalny have been classified as "extremist" in Russia and were banned by the courts in 2021, with several of his associates sentenced to imprisonment.