Just 15 days before his death, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny launched his final action against President Vladimir Putin.
Navalny spent his last weeks in a harsh prison in the Arctic Circle, where conditions are so extreme that they are equivalent to torture, Politico recalls.
For more than a decade, Navalny has been the most distinguished opponent and the greatest political threat to the Russian president. Just two weeks before his death, Navalny devised a new plan against Putin.
On February 1, Navalny’s account on the X platform published an invitation for Russians opposing the 71-year-old to participate in the presidential elections held this weekend.
“I like the idea of anti-Putin voters coming together at polling stations at noon. At noon against Putin,” Navalny said.
According to Politico, this kind of protest would be legal and relatively safe.
“What could they do? Would they close the polling stations at noon? Would they organize rallies in support of Putin at 10 in the morning? Would they register all those who came at noon and put them on the list of unreliable people,” Navalny questioned.
Politico emphasizes that it has long been clear that presidential elections in Russia are neither fair nor free. Putin is, in fact, the only candidate, and all his political opponents are either dead, imprisoned, exiled, or prevented from running.
However, simply by showing up at the same time, Russians can express their protest and denounce the electoral process initiated by the Kremlin after the aggression against Ukraine as a sham.
The death of Alexei Navalny last month gave a new impetus to Russians with oppositional minds. While official state authorities claim Navalny died of natural causes, the family and supporters of the late oppositionist are convinced that the Kremlin killed him. Thousands of Russians came out on a cold day to participate in Navalny’s funeral and pay their respects.
Alexey Navalny’s wife, Yulia, reminded her fellow citizens of the electoral campaign created by her late husband.
“Alexei invited people to participate in this protest and that’s why it is of extreme importance to me personally,” Navalnya said in a video in which she called on Russians to join the protest “for Navalny”.
Meanwhile, Navalny rests in Moscow’s Borisovo Cemetery, but remains Putin’s most formidable opponent.
