One in six Russian adults takes a dimmer view of President Vladimir Putin after watching a video investigation by jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny that links a luxury palace to the Russian leader, an opinion poll indicated on Monday.

The video, which focuses on a sprawling palace in southern Russia that boasts its own theatre, ice-hockey stadium, and casino, has clocked up 110 million views on YouTube since it was released on Jan. 19 and has been used by Navalny`s allies to encourage people to take part in anti-Kremlin protests.

Businessman Arkady Rotenberg, Putin`s former judo partner, said the palace was his after Putin told students that the palace did not belong to him or his family.

A poll released on Monday by the Levada Center, which is not affiliated with the authorities, found 26% of adult Russians - or one in four - had watched Navalny`s investigation, while 31% had not heard of it.

Seventeen percent of those surveyed said their opinion of Putin had changed for the worse after watching it, though 77% said their view of him had not altered.

The same poll, part of which was released last Thursday, had Putin`s approval rating holding steady at 64%.

Russians were split on the veracity of the palace allegations, Monday`s findings showed. One third said they were sure they were not true, 38% said it looked like they were true but it was hard to evaluate, and 17% said they were sure they were true.

Leonid Volkov, a Navalny ally, hailed the findings.

"When people watch, it works," Volkov wrote on Twitter. "17% of those who watched it saying they took a more negative view of Putin is a lot. We are talking about millions of people. It`s a battle - in a direct sense - for Russians` minds."

The Kremlin has dismissed the video as nonsense and as part of a scam to get people to make donations to Navalny`s allies.

Navalny was jailed this month over parole allegations he denied in a criminal case he said was trumped up to stymie his political ambitions.

Navalny allies have put anti-Kremlin protests on hold for now until warmer weather and say they are focused on trying to achieve a breakthrough at parliamentary elections in the autumn.

The Levada poll, conducted among 1,616 adults across the country, was carried out from Jan. 29 to Feb. 2.

One in six Russian adults takes a dimmer view of President Vladimir Putin after watching a video investigation by jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny that links a luxury palace to the Russian leader, an opinion poll indicated on Monday.

One in six Russian adults takes a dimmer view of President Vladimir Putin after watching a video investigation by jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny that links a luxury palace to the Russian leader, an opinion poll indicated on Monday. The video, which focuses on a sprawling palace in southern Russia that boasts its own theatre, ice-hockey stadium, and casino, has clocked up 110 million views on YouTube since it was released on Jan. 19 and has been used by Navalny`s allies to encourage people to take part in anti-Kremlin protests. Businessman Arkady Rotenberg, Putin`s former judo partner, said the palace was his after Putin told students that the palace did not belong to him or his family. A poll released on Monday by the Levada Center, which is not affiliated with the authorities, found 26% of adult Russians - or one in four - had watched Navalny`s investigation, while 31% had not heard of it. Seventeen percent of those surveyed said their opinion of Putin had changed for the worse after watching it, though 77% said their view of him had not altered. The same poll, part of which was released last Thursday, had Putin`s approval rating holding steady at 64%. Russians were split on the veracity of the palace allegations, Monday`s findings showed. One third said they were sure they were not true, 38% said it looked like they were true but it was hard to evaluate, and 17% said they were sure they were true. Leonid Volkov, a Navalny ally, hailed the findings. "When people watch, it works," Volkov wrote on Twitter. "17% of those who watched it saying they took a more negative view of Putin is a lot. We are talking about millions of people. It`s a battle - in a direct sense - for Russians` minds." The Kremlin has dismissed the video as nonsense and as part of a scam to get people to make donations to Navalny`s allies. Navalny was jailed this month over parole allegations he denied in a criminal case he said was trumped up to stymie his political ambitions. Navalny allies have put anti-Kremlin protests on hold for now until warmer weather and say they are focused on trying to achieve a breakthrough at parliamentary elections in the autumn. The Levada poll, conducted among 1,616 adults across the country, was carried out from Jan. 29 to Feb. 2.

One in six Russians more negative on Putin after Navalny palace video, poll says

Russia has expelled yet another diplomat -- this time, from Albania, in a tit-for-tat move.

This expulsion came after one of its own embassy workers was ordered to leave the Balkan state for alleged repeat violations of coronavirus rules.

To this end, Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement that it had declared Jonida Drogu, the first secretary of the Albanian embassy in Moscow, persona non grata. She was given 72 hours to leave the country.

The decision was made in response to Albania expelling the first secretary of the Russian embassy in Tirana "under a completely contrived pretext," the statement added.

The Albanian government declared Aleksei Krivosheev “persona non grata” and required him to leave the country within 72 hours, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on January 21, citing "repeated" violations of pandemic restrictions by the diplomat since April, 2020.

The government, however, wished for friendly relations with the Russian Federation to be strengthened.

Moscow, in response, said Albania's decision was a "provocation with the aim of gaining political points" and accused Tirana of "playing along with anti-Russian forces in the West".&nbsp;

Last week, Moscow announced the expulsion of three diplomats from EU members Germany, Sweden and Poland for allegedly taking part in an unsanctioned demonstration in support of Kremlin's fiercest critic Alexei Navalny.

Russia has expelled a number of diplomats -- mostly in response to the removal of its own officials -- as its relations with the West have soured following the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-uk-and-us-to-speak-with-navalny-after-expulsion-of-diplomats-in-russia-362178">Also read |&nbsp;EU, UK and US to speak with Navalny after expulsion of diplomats in Russia</a>

Russia has expelled yet another diplomat -- this time, from Albania, in a tit-for-tat move. This expulsion came after one of its own embassy workers was ordered to leave the Balkan state for alleged repeat violations of coronavirus rules.

Russia has expelled yet another diplomat -- this time, from Albania, in a tit-for-tat move. This expulsion came after one of its own embassy workers was ordered to leave the Balkan state for alleged repeat violations of coronavirus rules. To this end, Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement that it had declared Jonida Drogu, the first secretary of the Albanian embassy in Moscow, persona non grata. She was given 72 hours to leave the country. The decision was made in response to Albania expelling the first secretary of the Russian embassy in Tirana "under a completely contrived pretext," the statement added. The Albanian government declared Aleksei Krivosheev “persona non grata” and required him to leave the country within 72 hours, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on January 21, citing "repeated" violations of pandemic restrictions by the diplomat since April, 2020. The government, however, wished for friendly relations with the Russian Federation to be strengthened. Moscow, in response, said Albania's decision was a "provocation with the aim of gaining political points" and accused Tirana of "playing along with anti-Russian forces in the West". Last week, Moscow announced the expulsion of three diplomats from EU members Germany, Sweden and Poland for allegedly taking part in an unsanctioned demonstration in support of Kremlin's fiercest critic Alexei Navalny. Russia has expelled a number of diplomats -- mostly in response to the removal of its own officials -- as its relations with the West have soured following the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Also read | EU, UK and US to speak with Navalny after expulsion of diplomats in Russia

Russia gives it back to Albania, expels its diplomat

Russia is rejecting constructive dialogue with the EU and that Europe must draw the consequences, including the possibility of new sanctions according to the bloc's top diplomat Josep Borell.

In a blog post, Josep Borrell said the shock expulsion of three EU diplomats during his two-day visit to Moscow, showed that Russia "did not want to seize this opportunity to have a more constructive dialogue with the EU".

The bloc "will have to draw the consequences" he wrote, insisting that "it will be for member states to decide the next steps, and yes, these could include sanctions."

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-expelled-3-european-diplomats-over-navalny-protest-361786/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Borrell's trip, which ended on Saturday, had been a controversial journey that divided the EU's 27 member states, with France and Germany backing dialogue with the Kremlin.

Other countries backed a harder line after the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and a crackdown on pro-Navalny protesters that has seen more than 10,000 people arrested in recent weeks.

Borrell's trip took a negative turn when Moscow expelled diplomats from Poland, Germany and Sweden just hours after he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss ties.

The former Spanish foreign minister described the trip as "very complicated" and said he returned to Brussels "with deep concerns".&nbsp;

"It seems that Russia is progressively disconnecting itself from Europe and looking at democratic values as an existential threat," he said.

Borrell defended his visit arguing that criticising Russia from a distance "will not bring greater security to the European Union".&nbsp;

"We have to face challenges, including meeting others in their home turf, just when negative events are unfolding" in order to better assess the action to take.

"If we want a safer world for tomorrow, we have to act decidedly today and be ready to take some risks," he said.

Borrell will debrief his trip to foreign ministers from the 27 member states on February 22 and EU leaders will discuss their strained ties with Moscow at a summit in March.

Drawing up EU sanctions are strictly up to the member&nbsp;states and require unanimity among the 27.

Russia is rejecting constructive dialogue with the EU and that Europe must draw the consequences, including the possibility of new sanctions according to the bloc's top diplomat Josep Borell.

Russia is rejecting constructive dialogue with the EU and that Europe must draw the consequences, including the possibility of new sanctions according to the bloc's top diplomat Josep Borell. In a blog post, Josep Borrell said the shock expulsion of three EU diplomats during his two-day visit to Moscow, showed that Russia "did not want to seize this opportunity to have a more constructive dialogue with the EU". The bloc "will have to draw the consequences" he wrote, insisting that "it will be for member states to decide the next steps, and yes, these could include sanctions." Borrell's trip, which ended on Saturday, had been a controversial journey that divided the EU's 27 member states, with France and Germany backing dialogue with the Kremlin. Other countries backed a harder line after the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and a crackdown on pro-Navalny protesters that has seen more than 10,000 people arrested in recent weeks. Borrell's trip took a negative turn when Moscow expelled diplomats from Poland, Germany and Sweden just hours after he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss ties. The former Spanish foreign minister described the trip as "very complicated" and said he returned to Brussels "with deep concerns". "It seems that Russia is progressively disconnecting itself from Europe and looking at democratic values as an existential threat," he said. Borrell defended his visit arguing that criticising Russia from a distance "will not bring greater security to the European Union". "We have to face challenges, including meeting others in their home turf, just when negative events are unfolding" in order to better assess the action to take. "If we want a safer world for tomorrow, we have to act decidedly today and be ready to take some risks," he said. Borrell will debrief his trip to foreign ministers from the 27 member states on February 22 and EU leaders will discuss their strained ties with Moscow at a summit in March. Drawing up EU sanctions are strictly up to the member states and require unanimity among the 27.

Josep Borrell says Russia is rejecting constructive dialogue with European Union

The European Union is planning to hold a video call with allies of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Monday. The interaction comes close on the heels of Russia expelling diplomats from EU states last week.&nbsp;

The EU and Navalny's allies will be joined by envoys from Britain, the United States, Canada and Ukraine.&nbsp;

The meeting at 1200 GMT is likely to be the first forum for the West to consider any possible joint response to Navalny's jailing last week and Friday's expulsions, which took place while the EU's top diplomat was visiting Moscow.

Russia on Friday announced the expulsion of diplomats from Germany, Poland and Sweden during the rare meeting in Moscow between EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a blog late on Sunday that he had learned of the expulsion of the diplomats from Germany, Poland and Sweden via social media during his talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Friday. He added the expulsions by Moscow, his fruitless appeals to halt them, and a denial of his request to visit Navalny had cemented his view that "Europe and Russia are drifting apart".

"Russia is progressively disconnecting itself from Europe and looking at democratic values as an existential threat," he wrote, adding, "It will be for member states to decide the next steps, and yes, these could include sanctions."

Last week, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Romania and the Czech Republic pushed for fresh sanctions on Russia, with Germany, Italy and France arguing to give Moscow more time to reconsider its jailing of Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critic.

On February 2, Navalny was sentenced for almost three years by a court which ruled he had broken the terms of a suspended 3-1/2 year prison sentence in an embezzlement case he says was trumped up. Navalny's allies have published a list of Russian business and political figures whom they want the West to sanction. EU leaders, who have condemned Navalny's jailing, are due to discuss their response at a summit in March.

Since the Kremlin's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea in March 2014, Russia is under Western economic sanctions, with NATO accusing Moscow of seeking to undermine the West through disinformation and covert operations.

However, the West still needs Russia as an energy supplier and as a regional power in diplomacy, such as upholding the 2015 nuclear accord with Iran, and tackling climate change.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin has defended&nbsp;Russia's shock expulsion of EU diplomats during the high-profile visit of the European Union's top diplomat but insisted it remained interested in reviving relations with Brussels.

The declaration of the three foreign diplomats as personae non gratae was a "consequence of the actions of some diplomatic missions in Moscow against the backdrop of illegal riots," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Monday.&nbsp;

He added that Russia "has clearly demonstrated it does not intend to tolerate this".&nbsp;

In January, tens of thousands of Russians rallied for two consecutive weekends against President Vladimir Putin's 20-year rule and demanded the release of opposition politician Alexei Navalny, his most prominent critic who was sentenced to nearly three years in prison last week.&nbsp;

Western leaders have slammed the expulsions, further straining ties that have worsened after Navalny was sentenced to two years and eight months in a penal colony for violating parole conditions while recovering from a poisoning attack in Germany.&nbsp;

Borrell is expected to meet with foreign ministers from the 27 EU states on February 22 to discuss fresh sanctions against Moscow that would require an unanimous vote among the EU members.

&nbsp;

The European Union is planning to hold a video call with allies of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Monday. The interaction comes close on the heels of Russia expelling diplomats from EU states last week.

The European Union is planning to hold a video call with allies of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Monday. The interaction comes close on the heels of Russia expelling diplomats from EU states last week. The EU and Navalny's allies will be joined by envoys from Britain, the United States, Canada and Ukraine. The meeting at 1200 GMT is likely to be the first forum for the West to consider any possible joint response to Navalny's jailing last week and Friday's expulsions, which took place while the EU's top diplomat was visiting Moscow. Russia on Friday announced the expulsion of diplomats from Germany, Poland and Sweden during the rare meeting in Moscow between EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a blog late on Sunday that he had learned of the expulsion of the diplomats from Germany, Poland and Sweden via social media during his talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Friday. He added the expulsions by Moscow, his fruitless appeals to halt them, and a denial of his request to visit Navalny had cemented his view that "Europe and Russia are drifting apart". "Russia is progressively disconnecting itself from Europe and looking at democratic values as an existential threat," he wrote, adding, "It will be for member states to decide the next steps, and yes, these could include sanctions." Last week, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Romania and the Czech Republic pushed for fresh sanctions on Russia, with Germany, Italy and France arguing to give Moscow more time to reconsider its jailing of Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critic. On February 2, Navalny was sentenced for almost three years by a court which ruled he had broken the terms of a suspended 3-1/2 year prison sentence in an embezzlement case he says was trumped up. Navalny's allies have published a list of Russian business and political figures whom they want the West to sanction. EU leaders, who have condemned Navalny's jailing, are due to discuss their response at a summit in March. Since the Kremlin's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea in March 2014, Russia is under Western economic sanctions, with NATO accusing Moscow of seeking to undermine the West through disinformation and covert operations. However, the West still needs Russia as an energy supplier and as a regional power in diplomacy, such as upholding the 2015 nuclear accord with Iran, and tackling climate change. Meanwhile, the Kremlin has defended Russia's shock expulsion of EU diplomats during the high-profile visit of the European Union's top diplomat but insisted it remained interested in reviving relations with Brussels. The declaration of the three foreign diplomats as personae non gratae was a "consequence of the actions of some diplomatic missions in Moscow against the backdrop of illegal riots," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Monday. He added that Russia "has clearly demonstrated it does not intend to tolerate this". In January, tens of thousands of Russians rallied for two consecutive weekends against President Vladimir Putin's 20-year rule and demanded the release of opposition politician Alexei Navalny, his most prominent critic who was sentenced to nearly three years in prison last week. Western leaders have slammed the expulsions, further straining ties that have worsened after Navalny was sentenced to two years and eight months in a penal colony for violating parole conditions while recovering from a poisoning attack in Germany. Borrell is expected to meet with foreign ministers from the 27 EU states on February 22 to discuss fresh sanctions against Moscow that would require an unanimous vote among the EU members.

EU, UK and US to speak with Navalny after expulsion of diplomats in Russia

Germany, Poland and Sweden have condemned Russia's&nbsp;expulsion of&nbsp;diplomats from the three European countries for allegedly taking part in protests in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei&nbsp;Navalny.

Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critic, was jailed this week for almost three years for parole violations he calls trumped-up, a move the West condemned.

He was arrested on January&nbsp;17 on his return from treatment in Germany, where he was flown in August after falling ill from what German officials concluded was poisoning with a military-grade nerve agent. The Kremlin has questioned whether&nbsp;Navalny&nbsp;was poisoned and denied blame for his illness.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-story-of-alexei-navalny-361674/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

German&nbsp;Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday&nbsp;"We consider these expulsions to be unjustified. We believe it is yet another aspect that can be observed right now of Russia being quite far from the rule of law."

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said earlier that the decision by Moscow to declare the diplomats from Poland, Germany and Sweden persona non grata would "not go unanswered".

Maas added that the German diplomat concerned was "solely fulfilling his duty... of informing himself about developments on the ground by lawful means".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-expels-diplomats-from-european-nations-over-navalny-protests-361629" hreflang="en">Russia expels diplomats from European nations over Navalny protests</a>

France's Macron also took Germany's stance, saying he was "completely in line and in solidarity" with his EU counterpart on the issue.

He similarly condemned "most firmly" Russia's decision to expel the European diplomats.

The Polish foreign ministry said in a statement that it had summoned Russia's ambassador to Warsaw after Russia earlier Friday said it was expelling diplomats from Poland, Germany and Sweden.

The foreign ministry said the decision "will contribute to the further deepening of the crisis in the bilateral relations between our countries".

The ministry said the diplomat in question was working at the Polish consulate in Saint Petersburg and expressed "regret" and "concern" over the move.

Russia's ambassador was informed "that the Polish diplomat in question performed her duties resulting from the diplomatic status in accordance with the Vienna Convention," the ministry added.

The announcement of the expulsions came hours after the European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell met Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow and described the bloc's ties with Russia as at a "low point" over&nbsp;Navalny's jailing.

Despite close trade ties and energy interdependence, Russia's political relations with the European Union soured after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

Germany, Poland and Sweden have condemned Russia's expulsion of diplomats from the three European countries for allegedly taking part in protests in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Germany, Poland and Sweden have condemned Russia's expulsion of diplomats from the three European countries for allegedly taking part in protests in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critic, was jailed this week for almost three years for parole violations he calls trumped-up, a move the West condemned. He was arrested on January 17 on his return from treatment in Germany, where he was flown in August after falling ill from what German officials concluded was poisoning with a military-grade nerve agent. The Kremlin has questioned whether Navalny was poisoned and denied blame for his illness. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday "We consider these expulsions to be unjustified. We believe it is yet another aspect that can be observed right now of Russia being quite far from the rule of law." German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said earlier that the decision by Moscow to declare the diplomats from Poland, Germany and Sweden persona non grata would "not go unanswered". Maas added that the German diplomat concerned was "solely fulfilling his duty... of informing himself about developments on the ground by lawful means". Also read: Russia expels diplomats from European nations over Navalny protests France's Macron also took Germany's stance, saying he was "completely in line and in solidarity" with his EU counterpart on the issue. He similarly condemned "most firmly" Russia's decision to expel the European diplomats. The Polish foreign ministry said in a statement that it had summoned Russia's ambassador to Warsaw after Russia earlier Friday said it was expelling diplomats from Poland, Germany and Sweden. The foreign ministry said the decision "will contribute to the further deepening of the crisis in the bilateral relations between our countries". The ministry said the diplomat in question was working at the Polish consulate in Saint Petersburg and expressed "regret" and "concern" over the move. Russia's ambassador was informed "that the Polish diplomat in question performed her duties resulting from the diplomatic status in accordance with the Vienna Convention," the ministry added. The announcement of the expulsions came hours after the European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell met Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow and described the bloc's ties with Russia as at a "low point" over Navalny's jailing. Despite close trade ties and energy interdependence, Russia's political relations with the European Union soured after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

Germany, Poland and Sweden condemn Russia's expulsion of diplomats over Navalny protests

He is 44, he is popular, he has support abroad, his poisoning made him a household name, his dramatic arrested heightened his profile. But who exactly is Alexei Navalny.

Gravitas: The story of Alexei Navalny

At the turn of the millenium, a man not many had heard of took over the reigns of Russia — Vladimir Putin became the Prime Minister of Russia in August 1999.

Putin was a political nobody. Even to his wife, the appointment reportedly came as a surprise. He was handpicked by then-President Boris Yeltsin and the KGB. Within three months, he was handed the Kremlin on a plate and was told he would succeed Yeltsin and lead Russia into the 21st century.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-will-putin-survive-the-protests-361670/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The reason behind this is Yeltsin trusted only family and KGB and Putin is former KGB.

The 47-year-old new President addressed the country wearing an ill-fitted suit. It took Putin's entourage well over a year to find him a suit that fits. It's been 20 years since the baton was handed to a camera-shy Putin and a lot has changed since then.

Now, Vladimir Putin is the founder of the Strongman's Club. He is the longest-serving Russian leader since Joseph Stalin and parallels are drawn between Putin and the Russian Tsars.

Putin is everywhere in Russia — from T-shirts to calendars and mugs. He has transformed Russia into an increasingly dictatorial state where its people have fewer rights and freedoms.&nbsp;

Putin has moved away from the West, embraced isolationism, annexed Crimea, fought in Ukraine and despite everything, he remains Russia's most popular leader.

This is only the fourth time that Putin's ratings have taken a dent.

Previously it was because of unpopular reform to social benefits in 2015, rigged parliamentary elections in 2011 and pension reforms in 2019.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-navalny-built-an-opposition-in-russia-despite-putins-tight-grip-on-power-359519">How Navalny built an opposition in Russia despite Putin's tight grip on power</a>

Today, some 46 per cent of Russians aged 18-24 say they do not approve of Putin. However, these numbers mean nothing — just like Russia's recent referendum that allowed Putin to be President for life.

Russians know that Putin is backed by the oligarchs. They have seen dissidents dying, disappearing or being drugged. The murder of former Russian spy, Alexander Litvinenko in 2016 shocked the world. Rebel Chechnya leader Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev was assassinated in Qatar, Sergei Skripal was targeted in Salisbury, the UK. All the trails lead back to Moscow and the tale, each time, is of Russia's growing appetite for risk.

We often refer to Pakistan as a terror state, which it is, but the Kremlin, too, has its terror squad that takes down dissidents at home and abroad.

In the last 20 years, Putin has tightened his grip on power, changed the constitution to suit his dreams and gone after anyone who came in between. Therefore, Alexei Navalny was no exception, but what Putin did not expect was for Navalny to outmanoeuvre him.

Navalny used his recovery time to investigate attacks on journalists and exposed corruption in Putin's system, which was detailed in a two-hour documentary. Navalny also duped Russian agents into spilling the details of his poisoning. Now, Navalny has kickstarted what Putin fears the most: a Ukraine-style Maidan revolution. From Moscow to St. Petersburg, protesters have taken to the streets across Russia with demonstrations in at least 100 cities. Putin knows the history and he understands the threat such protests come with. He knows that protests eventually toppled the Tsarist rule too.

The Kremlin critic is definitely the biggest challenge to Putin at home in his 20 years of leadership, but Putin has been written off before too. Experts predicted that Putin would be mowed down by a crisis like Yeltsin, but he survived, not only the war in Chechnya but also the 2002 Moscow seige or the annexation of Crimea.

Remember, we are talking about a man who orchestrated the Salisbury poisoning just months before the 2018 FIFA world cup. He is not afraid of interfering with the elections of the world's oldest democracy or hacking into the servers of vaccine manufacturers across the globe.

So, while Navalny is definitely Putin's biggest test till date, predicting Putin's fall would be speaking too soon.

At the turn of the millenium, a man not many had heard of took over the reigns of Russia — Vladimir Putin became the Prime Minister of Russia in August 1999. Putin was a political nobody.

At the turn of the millenium, a man not many had heard of took over the reigns of Russia — Vladimir Putin became the Prime Minister of Russia in August 1999. Putin was a political nobody. Even to his wife, the appointment reportedly came as a surprise. He was handpicked by then-President Boris Yeltsin and the KGB. Within three months, he was handed the Kremlin on a plate and was told he would succeed Yeltsin and lead Russia into the 21st century. The reason behind this is Yeltsin trusted only family and KGB and Putin is former KGB. The 47-year-old new President addressed the country wearing an ill-fitted suit. It took Putin's entourage well over a year to find him a suit that fits. It's been 20 years since the baton was handed to a camera-shy Putin and a lot has changed since then. Now, Vladimir Putin is the founder of the Strongman's Club. He is the longest-serving Russian leader since Joseph Stalin and parallels are drawn between Putin and the Russian Tsars. Putin is everywhere in Russia — from T-shirts to calendars and mugs. He has transformed Russia into an increasingly dictatorial state where its people have fewer rights and freedoms. Putin has moved away from the West, embraced isolationism, annexed Crimea, fought in Ukraine and despite everything, he remains Russia's most popular leader. This is only the fourth time that Putin's ratings have taken a dent. Previously it was because of unpopular reform to social benefits in 2015, rigged parliamentary elections in 2011 and pension reforms in 2019. Also read| How Navalny built an opposition in Russia despite Putin's tight grip on power Today, some 46 per cent of Russians aged 18-24 say they do not approve of Putin. However, these numbers mean nothing — just like Russia's recent referendum that allowed Putin to be President for life. Russians know that Putin is backed by the oligarchs. They have seen dissidents dying, disappearing or being drugged. The murder of former Russian spy, Alexander Litvinenko in 2016 shocked the world. Rebel Chechnya leader Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev was assassinated in Qatar, Sergei Skripal was targeted in Salisbury, the UK. All the trails lead back to Moscow and the tale, each time, is of Russia's growing appetite for risk. We often refer to Pakistan as a terror state, which it is, but the Kremlin, too, has its terror squad that takes down dissidents at home and abroad. In the last 20 years, Putin has tightened his grip on power, changed the constitution to suit his dreams and gone after anyone who came in between. Therefore, Alexei Navalny was no exception, but what Putin did not expect was for Navalny to outmanoeuvre him. Navalny used his recovery time to investigate attacks on journalists and exposed corruption in Putin's system, which was detailed in a two-hour documentary. Navalny also duped Russian agents into spilling the details of his poisoning. Now, Navalny has kickstarted what Putin fears the most: a Ukraine-style Maidan revolution. From Moscow to St. Petersburg, protesters have taken to the streets across Russia with demonstrations in at least 100 cities. Putin knows the history and he understands the threat such protests come with. He knows that protests eventually toppled the Tsarist rule too. The Kremlin critic is definitely the biggest challenge to Putin at home in his 20 years of leadership, but Putin has been written off before too. Experts predicted that Putin would be mowed down by a crisis like Yeltsin, but he survived, not only the war in Chechnya but also the 2002 Moscow seige or the annexation of Crimea. Remember, we are talking about a man who orchestrated the Salisbury poisoning just months before the 2018 FIFA world cup. He is not afraid of interfering with the elections of the world's oldest democracy or hacking into the servers of vaccine manufacturers across the globe. So, while Navalny is definitely Putin's biggest test till date, predicting Putin's fall would be speaking too soon.

From ill-fitting suits to silencing critics: Journey of Vladimir Putin challenged by Alexei Navalny

Alexei Navalny is a man who is rarely named by the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Kremlin critic and Putin's latest nightmare is 44-year-old, popular and has support abroad. His poisoning made him a household name and his dramatic arrest heightened his profile. Even in jail, he has outmanoeuvred Vladimir Putin.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-story-of-alexei-navalny-361674/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-navalny-built-an-opposition-in-russia-despite-putins-tight-grip-on-power-359519" hreflang="en">How Navalny built an opposition in Russia despite Putin's tight grip on power</a>

Alexei Navalny is the son of an army officer. Navalny grew up in Obninsk, about 60 miles south-west of Moscow. With a degree in law, he also spent time in the United States on a fellowship at Yale University.

In the year 2000, at the age of 24, he joined the Russian united democratic party, Yabloko. Then, seven years later, he was expelled from the party for his overtly 'nationalistic activities'.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putins-popularity-slips-as-alexei-navalnys-political-equity-rises-359520" hreflang="en">Putin's popularity slips as Alexei Navalny's political equity rises</a>

During anti-Putin demonstrations in 2011, he was among the first opposition leaders arrested. In 2013, he ran for the Mayor of Moscow but lost to a Kremlin-backed candidate. Since then, Navalny has been barred from running for office. Instead, he has turned his focus on social media to mobilise crowds of mostly young protesters.

He is best known for producing detailed investigations into corruption. Investigations such as 'He Is Not Dimon to You' which accused the former prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev of corruption, 'The case has been solved. I know everyone who tried to kill me' which detailed his poisoning, 'Parazity' that exposed the Kremlin's control on the Russian media and the being 'Putin's Palace: History of the World's Largest Bribe'.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/from-ill-fitting-suits-to-silencing-critics-journey-of-vladimir-putin-challenged-by-alexei-navalny-361655" hreflang="en">From ill-fitting suits to silencing critics: Journey of Vladimir Putin challenged by Alexei Navalny</a>

Navalny has not just challenged Putin's leadership, but also his strongman image. He has single-handedly put Putin in a catch 22 situation as letting Navalny walk out of prison comes with a huge cost, but keeping him behind bars is not helping either.

His case gave a new life to dying opposition parties. There are a total of 69 of them but only six parties are represented in the Russian parliament, the state duma. Putin's party, United Russia, is the largest faction with 343 of 450 seats. The second-largest faction is the Communist Party of the Russian Federation with 42 seats, followed by LDPR with 40 seats and A Just Russia with 23 seats among two others.

The small numbers have made these parties a rubber-stamp opposition. Putin's party holds the final say over the passage of any measures. Majorly, the ideological differences within the opposition makes a merger quite difficult.

Alexei Navalny emerged as a unifying force as his witty posts, memes and pop culture references got the support of leaders across party lines. However, now that he's in jail, the Russian opposition has once again lost its voice.

Alexei Navalny is a man who is rarely named by the Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin critic and Putin's latest nightmare is 44-year-old, popular and has support abroad.

Alexei Navalny is a man who is rarely named by the Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin critic and Putin's latest nightmare is 44-year-old, popular and has support abroad. His poisoning made him a household name and his dramatic arrest heightened his profile. Even in jail, he has outmanoeuvred Vladimir Putin. Also read| How Navalny built an opposition in Russia despite Putin's tight grip on power Alexei Navalny is the son of an army officer. Navalny grew up in Obninsk, about 60 miles south-west of Moscow. With a degree in law, he also spent time in the United States on a fellowship at Yale University. In the year 2000, at the age of 24, he joined the Russian united democratic party, Yabloko. Then, seven years later, he was expelled from the party for his overtly 'nationalistic activities'. Also read| Putin's popularity slips as Alexei Navalny's political equity rises During anti-Putin demonstrations in 2011, he was among the first opposition leaders arrested. In 2013, he ran for the Mayor of Moscow but lost to a Kremlin-backed candidate. Since then, Navalny has been barred from running for office. Instead, he has turned his focus on social media to mobilise crowds of mostly young protesters. He is best known for producing detailed investigations into corruption. Investigations such as 'He Is Not Dimon to You' which accused the former prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev of corruption, 'The case has been solved. I know everyone who tried to kill me' which detailed his poisoning, 'Parazity' that exposed the Kremlin's control on the Russian media and the being 'Putin's Palace: History of the World's Largest Bribe'. Also read| From ill-fitting suits to silencing critics: Journey of Vladimir Putin challenged by Alexei Navalny Navalny has not just challenged Putin's leadership, but also his strongman image. He has single-handedly put Putin in a catch 22 situation as letting Navalny walk out of prison comes with a huge cost, but keeping him behind bars is not helping either. His case gave a new life to dying opposition parties. There are a total of 69 of them but only six parties are represented in the Russian parliament, the state duma. Putin's party, United Russia, is the largest faction with 343 of 450 seats. The second-largest faction is the Communist Party of the Russian Federation with 42 seats, followed by LDPR with 40 seats and A Just Russia with 23 seats among two others. The small numbers have made these parties a rubber-stamp opposition. Putin's party holds the final say over the passage of any measures. Majorly, the ideological differences within the opposition makes a merger quite difficult. Alexei Navalny emerged as a unifying force as his witty posts, memes and pop culture references got the support of leaders across party lines. However, now that he's in jail, the Russian opposition has once again lost its voice.

Who is Alexei Navalny, apart from being Putin's nightmare?

Russia has expelled diplomats from Poland, Germany and Sweden for participating in unsanctioned demonstrations last month in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement that an unspecified number of diplomats from the three EU countries took part in "illegal demonstrations" on January 23 and had been declared persona non grata.

"They were ordered to leave Russia in the near future," the ministry said, adding that Moscow expects diplomats from the countries to "strictly follow the norms of international law" in the future.

To this end,&nbsp;European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell&nbsp;condemned&nbsp;the expulsion.

"During the meeting with FM Lavrov, HRVP Borrell learned that three European diplomats are going to be expelled from Russia," EU spokesman Peter Stano said, referring to Borrell's position as High Representative of the European Union.

"The HRVP strongly condemned this decision and rejected the allegations that they conducted activities incompatible with their status as foreign diplomats. The decision should be reconsidered."

The move came hours after&nbsp;Borrell met Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow and described the bloc's ties with Russia as at a "low point" over Navalny's jailing.

Russian police have arrested more than 10,000 people at mass demonstrations across the country where protesters denounced Kremlin rule and demanded the authorities release Navalny.

The 44-year-old opposition campaigner was arrested on his arrival in Moscow last month from Germany, where he had been recovering from a poisoning attack that he blames on Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

In Moscow for talk, Borrell repeated European calls for Navalny's release and an investigation into his poisoning last year.&nbsp;

"Our relationship is indeed in a difficult moment," Borrell told Lavrov, adding that EU-Russia ties are "under severe strain and the Navalny case is a low point."

The West has fiercely condemned a Russian court's decision this week to jail the 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner for nearly three years, and a crackdown on pro-Navalny protesters that has seen more than 10,000 people arrested in recent weeks.

But Borrell said there were no immediate plans for new European sanctions and both he and Lavrov stressed that the two sides would continue to work together on issues including the coronavirus pandemic.

Borrell's visit was the first to Russia by a senior EU envoy since 2017, following years of deteriorating relations sparked by Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

However, despite mounting tensions centred around Navalny, Lavrov and Borrell said they wanted Russia and the EU to find areas of common ground.

The Kremlin has, in turn, accused the West of interfering in its affairs and on Friday also lashed out against what it called "aggressive and unconstructive rhetoric" from the United States.

President Joe Biden on Thursday said the United States will no longer be "rolling over in the face of Russia's aggressive actions" and his officials said they would take action against Moscow over Navalny and for other "malign" behaviour.

(with inputs from AFP)

Russia has expelled diplomats from Poland, Germany and Sweden for participating in unsanctioned demonstrations last month in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Russia has expelled diplomats from Poland, Germany and Sweden for participating in unsanctioned demonstrations last month in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement that an unspecified number of diplomats from the three EU countries took part in "illegal demonstrations" on January 23 and had been declared persona non grata. "They were ordered to leave Russia in the near future," the ministry said, adding that Moscow expects diplomats from the countries to "strictly follow the norms of international law" in the future. To this end, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned the expulsion. "During the meeting with FM Lavrov, HRVP Borrell learned that three European diplomats are going to be expelled from Russia," EU spokesman Peter Stano said, referring to Borrell's position as High Representative of the European Union. "The HRVP strongly condemned this decision and rejected the allegations that they conducted activities incompatible with their status as foreign diplomats. The decision should be reconsidered." The move came hours after Borrell met Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow and described the bloc's ties with Russia as at a "low point" over Navalny's jailing. Russian police have arrested more than 10,000 people at mass demonstrations across the country where protesters denounced Kremlin rule and demanded the authorities release Navalny. The 44-year-old opposition campaigner was arrested on his arrival in Moscow last month from Germany, where he had been recovering from a poisoning attack that he blames on Russian leader Vladimir Putin. In Moscow for talk, Borrell repeated European calls for Navalny's release and an investigation into his poisoning last year. "Our relationship is indeed in a difficult moment," Borrell told Lavrov, adding that EU-Russia ties are "under severe strain and the Navalny case is a low point." The West has fiercely condemned a Russian court's decision this week to jail the 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner for nearly three years, and a crackdown on pro-Navalny protesters that has seen more than 10,000 people arrested in recent weeks. But Borrell said there were no immediate plans for new European sanctions and both he and Lavrov stressed that the two sides would continue to work together on issues including the coronavirus pandemic. Borrell's visit was the first to Russia by a senior EU envoy since 2017, following years of deteriorating relations sparked by Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. However, despite mounting tensions centred around Navalny, Lavrov and Borrell said they wanted Russia and the EU to find areas of common ground. The Kremlin has, in turn, accused the West of interfering in its affairs and on Friday also lashed out against what it called "aggressive and unconstructive rhetoric" from the United States. President Joe Biden on Thursday said the United States will no longer be "rolling over in the face of Russia's aggressive actions" and his officials said they would take action against Moscow over Navalny and for other "malign" behaviour. (with inputs from AFP)

Russia expels diplomats from European nations over Navalny protests

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, in a note from jail, urged Russians to 'free' the country from a 'bunch of thieves'. &nbsp;

In a statement posted on his Instagram account, Navalny, 44, said, "iron doors slammed behind my back with a deafening sound, but I feel like a free man. Because I feel confident, I'm right. Thanks to your support. Thanks to my family's support." &nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kremlin-critic-navalny-goes-on-trial-on-slander-charges-361559">Also read | Kremlin critic Navalny goes on trial on slander charges</a> 
 
When the sentence of Alexei Navalny was being read, Navalny made a heart sign with his hands and smiled at his wife, Yulia Navalnaya, 44, from behind the glass panel of his holding cell in the court. Navalny asked Yulia, who was crying during the verdict, to don’t be sad as everything will be fine. &nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russians-share-selfies-in-red-to-support-navalnys-wife-361548">Also read | Russians share selfies in red to support Navalny's wife</a> 
 
Meanwhile, Alexei Navalny Friday went on trial on charges of defaming a World War II veteran -- close on the heels of him being handed a nearly three-year prison term.&nbsp;

Legal pressure has been mounting on the 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner and his allies since he returned in mid-January to Russia from Germany, where he had been recovering from a poisoning attack with the nerve agent Novichok. &nbsp;

He was ordered by a Moscow court this week to serve two years and eight months in prison for violating the terms of a 2014 suspended sentence on embezzlement charges he says were politically motivated.&nbsp;

Kremlin has said the arrests of thousands of protesters is a due response to the unsanctioned rallies. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, in a note from jail, urged Russians to 'free' the country from a 'bunch of thieves'. In a statement posted on his Instagram account, Navalny, 44, said, "iron doors slammed behind my back with a deafening sound, but I feel like a free man.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, in a note from jail, urged Russians to 'free' the country from a 'bunch of thieves'. In a statement posted on his Instagram account, Navalny, 44, said, "iron doors slammed behind my back with a deafening sound, but I feel like a free man. Because I feel confident, I'm right. Thanks to your support. Thanks to my family's support." Also read | Kremlin critic Navalny goes on trial on slander charges When the sentence of Alexei Navalny was being read, Navalny made a heart sign with his hands and smiled at his wife, Yulia Navalnaya, 44, from behind the glass panel of his holding cell in the court. Navalny asked Yulia, who was crying during the verdict, to don’t be sad as everything will be fine. Also read | Russians share selfies in red to support Navalny's wife Meanwhile, Alexei Navalny Friday went on trial on charges of defaming a World War II veteran -- close on the heels of him being handed a nearly three-year prison term. Legal pressure has been mounting on the 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner and his allies since he returned in mid-January to Russia from Germany, where he had been recovering from a poisoning attack with the nerve agent Novichok. He was ordered by a Moscow court this week to serve two years and eight months in prison for violating the terms of a 2014 suspended sentence on embezzlement charges he says were politically motivated. Kremlin has said the arrests of thousands of protesters is a due response to the unsanctioned rallies. (With inputs from agencies)

Free country from 'thieves': Alexei Navalny urges Russians from jail to overcome their fear  

Germany should not drop support for the planned Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia over the crackdown on Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, as "feel-good moralising" is not foreign policy, the man best placed to be the next German chancellor told Reuters.

Pointing to U.S. purchases of crude oil from Russia, Armin Laschet described himself as a political realist - or "Realpolitiker" - and said: "We have to take the world as it is in order to make it better."

Laschet, who last month won an election to the leadership of Chancellor Angela Merkel`s Christian Democrats (CDU), said both values and interests were important in diplomacy.

"But feel-good moralising and domestic slogans are not foreign policy," Laschet, who is premier of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, said in an interview that focused on understanding his little-known views on international affairs.

Laschet`s election to the CDU chair makes him the frontrunner to take over as chancellor from Merkel, who after 15 years in office has said she will not seek a fifth term following September elections.

Asked directly whether Germany should change course and renounce the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline, Laschet replied: "For 50 years, even in the aggressive times of the Cold War, Germany has bought gas from the Soviet Union, now from Russia. The German government is following the right course."

Germany is facing growing pressure to repudiate Nord Stream 2 over the Navalny affair: at home, from the ecologist Greens - potential coalition partners for Laschet`s CDU - and abroad from the United States, and much of Europe.

Navalny, sentenced on Tuesday to 3-1/2 years in jail after a Moscow court ruled he had violated the terms of his parole, was arrested on Jan. 17 after returning to Russia from Germany where he was treated for poisoning with a military-grade nerve agent.

Moscow has accused the West of hysteria and double standards over Navalny and told it to stay out of its internal affairs.

Laschet stressed that he had criticised the attack on Navalny and his imprisonment, and also supported European Union sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis.

"We must guarantee Ukraine`s geopolitical interests and secure our energy supply through this private-sector project," he said of Nord Stream 2.

The project, set to launch this year, has split the EU, with some members saying it will undermine traditional gas transit state Ukraine and deepen the EU`s energy reliance on Russia.

Germany`s ecologist Greens, the most likely coalition partner for the CDU and its Bavarian sister party after September`s elections, have doubled down on their opposition to the pipeline following the Navalny affair.

Laschet did not believe these differences would be a coalition deal breaker. "I don`t think Nord Stream 2 will be a big election issue.

Moreover, I think consensus with the Greens, for example, is possible."

Laschet viewed Germany as "deeply anchored in the West" and saw the United States as "our closest non-European partner". As for China, Germany must criticise its human rights violations, he said. "But at the same time, we trade with China."

EURO BONDS, DEBT BRAKE

On Europe, Western Balkan states should retain the prospect of EU accession if they fulfil the entry criteria, Laschet said, adding: "Turkey is unfortunately moving further and further away from the rule of law principles of the European Union."

He opposed introducing jointly issued debt, also known as euro bonds - a policy option some EU countries want to become a permanent tool after the bloc resorted to it to fund economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.

"I don`t see euro bonds. And with regard to the EU Commission`s borrowing, I say: this is now a one-time thing for six years," Laschet said in a nod to taxpayers who don`t want Europe`s biggest economy necessarily on the hook for any bailouts to more financially challenged member states.

On fiscal policy, Laschet rejected a proposal from Merkel`s chief of staff to soften Germany`s debt issuance law, allowing continued deficit spending, on grounds Berlin would be unable to stick to strict borrowing limits for several more years.

"The rules are good. The mechanisms contain the necessary flexibility - both the (EU`s 1992) Maastricht Treaty and the debt brake of our Basic Law," Laschet said.

Germany should not drop support for the planned Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia over the crackdown on Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, as "feel-good moralising" is not foreign policy, the man best placed to be the next German chancellor told Reuters.

Germany should not drop support for the planned Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia over the crackdown on Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, as "feel-good moralising" is not foreign policy, the man best placed to be the next German chancellor told Reuters. Pointing to U.S. purchases of crude oil from Russia, Armin Laschet described himself as a political realist - or "Realpolitiker" - and said: "We have to take the world as it is in order to make it better." Laschet, who last month won an election to the leadership of Chancellor Angela Merkel`s Christian Democrats (CDU), said both values and interests were important in diplomacy. "But feel-good moralising and domestic slogans are not foreign policy," Laschet, who is premier of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, said in an interview that focused on understanding his little-known views on international affairs. Laschet`s election to the CDU chair makes him the frontrunner to take over as chancellor from Merkel, who after 15 years in office has said she will not seek a fifth term following September elections. Asked directly whether Germany should change course and renounce the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline, Laschet replied: "For 50 years, even in the aggressive times of the Cold War, Germany has bought gas from the Soviet Union, now from Russia. The German government is following the right course." Germany is facing growing pressure to repudiate Nord Stream 2 over the Navalny affair: at home, from the ecologist Greens - potential coalition partners for Laschet`s CDU - and abroad from the United States, and much of Europe. Navalny, sentenced on Tuesday to 3-1/2 years in jail after a Moscow court ruled he had violated the terms of his parole, was arrested on Jan. 17 after returning to Russia from Germany where he was treated for poisoning with a military-grade nerve agent. Moscow has accused the West of hysteria and double standards over Navalny and told it to stay out of its internal affairs. Laschet stressed that he had criticised the attack on Navalny and his imprisonment, and also supported European Union sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis. "We must guarantee Ukraine`s geopolitical interests and secure our energy supply through this private-sector project," he said of Nord Stream 2. The project, set to launch this year, has split the EU, with some members saying it will undermine traditional gas transit state Ukraine and deepen the EU`s energy reliance on Russia. Germany`s ecologist Greens, the most likely coalition partner for the CDU and its Bavarian sister party after September`s elections, have doubled down on their opposition to the pipeline following the Navalny affair. Laschet did not believe these differences would be a coalition deal breaker. "I don`t think Nord Stream 2 will be a big election issue. Moreover, I think consensus with the Greens, for example, is possible." Laschet viewed Germany as "deeply anchored in the West" and saw the United States as "our closest non-European partner". As for China, Germany must criticise its human rights violations, he said. "But at the same time, we trade with China." EURO BONDS, DEBT BRAKE On Europe, Western Balkan states should retain the prospect of EU accession if they fulfil the entry criteria, Laschet said, adding: "Turkey is unfortunately moving further and further away from the rule of law principles of the European Union." He opposed introducing jointly issued debt, also known as euro bonds - a policy option some EU countries want to become a permanent tool after the bloc resorted to it to fund economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. "I don`t see euro bonds. And with regard to the EU Commission`s borrowing, I say: this is now a one-time thing for six years," Laschet said in a nod to taxpayers who don`t want Europe`s biggest economy necessarily on the hook for any bailouts to more financially challenged member states. On fiscal policy, Laschet rejected a proposal from Merkel`s chief of staff to soften Germany`s debt issuance law, allowing continued deficit spending, on grounds Berlin would be unable to stick to strict borrowing limits for several more years. "The rules are good. The mechanisms contain the necessary flexibility - both the (EU`s 1992) Maastricht Treaty and the debt brake of our Basic Law," Laschet said.

Navalny affair no grounds to cancel Nord Stream pipeline, new German CDU chief says

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny Friday went on trial on charges of defaming a World War II veteran -- close on the heels of him being handed a nearly three-year prison term.

Legal pressure has been mounting on the 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner and his allies since he returned in mid-January to Russia from Germany, where he had been recovering from a poisoning attack with the nerve agent Novichok. He was ordered by a Moscow court this week to serve two years and eight months in prison for violating the terms of a 2014 suspended sentence on embezzlement charges he says were politically motivated.

On Friday, Navalny faced defamation charges for describing people -- including the 95-year-old veteran -- who appeared in a pro-Kremlin video as "the shame of the country" and "traitors" in a June tweet. The charge carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.

The court was not expected to pronounce a verdict Friday.

Navalny's detention on his return to Moscow sparked mass demonstrations across the country that saw police arrest 10,000 protesters.

Navalny had, on Thursday, called on his supporters to fight fear and liberate Russia from a leadership he described as a "handful of thieves", while his aides said more protests were planned for later this year.

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny Friday went on trial on charges of defaming a World War II veteran -- close on the heels of him being handed a nearly three-year prison term.

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny Friday went on trial on charges of defaming a World War II veteran -- close on the heels of him being handed a nearly three-year prison term. Legal pressure has been mounting on the 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner and his allies since he returned in mid-January to Russia from Germany, where he had been recovering from a poisoning attack with the nerve agent Novichok. He was ordered by a Moscow court this week to serve two years and eight months in prison for violating the terms of a 2014 suspended sentence on embezzlement charges he says were politically motivated. On Friday, Navalny faced defamation charges for describing people -- including the 95-year-old veteran -- who appeared in a pro-Kremlin video as "the shame of the country" and "traitors" in a June tweet. The charge carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison. The court was not expected to pronounce a verdict Friday. Navalny's detention on his return to Moscow sparked mass demonstrations across the country that saw police arrest 10,000 protesters. Navalny had, on Thursday, called on his supporters to fight fear and liberate Russia from a leadership he described as a "handful of thieves", while his aides said more protests were planned for later this year.

Kremlin critic Navalny goes on trial on slander charges

Social media is abuzz with posting of several selfies of people wearing red colour clothes to show support for jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny's wife. Now, these selfies have become a symbol of support.

Social media is abuzz with posting of several selfies of people wearing red colour clothes to show support for jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny's wife. Now, these selfies have become a symbol of support. The support in this unique way began pouring after Navalny's wife, Yulia Navalnaya, donned a red jumper in Moscow court when her husband was handed the verdict earlier this week. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Katya Fedorova (@katyfedorova) × When the sentence of Alexei Navalny was being read, Navalny made a heart sign with his hands and smiled at Yulia, 44, from behind the glass panel of his holding cell in the court. Navalny asked Yulia, who was crying during the verdict, to don’t be sad as everything will be fine. Katya Fedorova, a fashion journalist and brand consultant, started the hashtag in an Instagram post by wearing a red top, which gained over 19,200 likes. On the post, Fedorova asked others to use Navalny's words to his wife in a hashtag and share to show support. Fedorova said, “I invite all those who care to post selfies wearing red, so Yulia and everyone else can follow the hashtag and see that we are many and we are not indifferent.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by полина владимировна маяк📻 (@pwmayak) × It has resulted into a movement of sorts as the posts with hashtag #do not be sad all will be well are trending on social media. Underneath Fedorova’s post, Yulia responded by commenting in Russian: 'Thank you!' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anya Shogren (@anyashogren) × The development is unfolding as Navalny, in a note from jail, urged Russians to 'free' the country from a 'bunch of thieves'. Meanwhile, Kremlin has said the arrests of thousands of protesters is a due response to the unsanctioned rallies. In a statement posted on his Instagram account, Navalny, 44, said, "iron doors slammed behind my back with a deafening sound, but I feel like a free man. Because I feel confident, I'm right. Thanks to your support. Thanks to my family's support."

Russians share selfies in red to support Navalny's wife

An audio clip of jailed Kremlin-critic Alexei Navalny has surfaced in which he can be heard calling Russian President Vladimir Putin 'underwear poisoner'. Alexei Navalny was recently sent to jail by a Russian court that overturned a suspended sentence into real jail-time.

Navalny's jailing&nbsp;has led to an outcry both in and outside Russia. While thousands of Russian protesters have been demanding Navalny's release, countries and blocs like the EU, US, Britain and Germany have upped the international pressure to free Navalny.

The latest audio clip has brought in quite a comic element into the mix.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/audio-of-navalnys-speech-calling-putin-the-underwear-poisoner-before-being-jailed-361530/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

“(Putin’s) only method is killing people. However much he pretends to be a great geo-politician, he’ll go down in history as a poisoner. There was Alexander the Liberator, Yaroslav the Wise, and Putin the Underwear Poisoner,” Navalny can be heard saying in the audio clip.

Navalny, one of Putin’s most prominent critics, was arrested on Jan. 17 for alleged parole violations after returning from Germany where he had been recovering from being poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent.

Navalny alleges that Russian agents, acting under orders from Putin poisoned his underwear. Kremlin has denied the charges.

(With Reuters inputs)

An audio clip of jailed Kremlin-critic Alexei Navalny has surfaced in which he can be heard calling Russian President Vladimir Putin 'underwear poisoner'. Alexei Navalny was recently sent to jail by a Russian court that overturned a suspended sentence into real jail-time.

An audio clip of jailed Kremlin-critic Alexei Navalny has surfaced in which he can be heard calling Russian President Vladimir Putin 'underwear poisoner'. Alexei Navalny was recently sent to jail by a Russian court that overturned a suspended sentence into real jail-time. Navalny's jailing has led to an outcry both in and outside Russia. While thousands of Russian protesters have been demanding Navalny's release, countries and blocs like the EU, US, Britain and Germany have upped the international pressure to free Navalny. The latest audio clip has brought in quite a comic element into the mix. × “(Putin’s) only method is killing people. However much he pretends to be a great geo-politician, he’ll go down in history as a poisoner. There was Alexander the Liberator, Yaroslav the Wise, and Putin the Underwear Poisoner,” Navalny can be heard saying in the audio clip. Navalny, one of Putin’s most prominent critics, was arrested on Jan. 17 for alleged parole violations after returning from Germany where he had been recovering from being poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent. Navalny alleges that Russian agents, acting under orders from Putin poisoned his underwear. Kremlin has denied the charges. (With Reuters inputs)

Alexei Navalny calls Vladimir Putin an 'underwear poisoner'

The Kremlin has slammed US President Joe Biden's "very aggressive rhetoric" after he said Washington's relationship with Moscow would change and demanded opposition politician Alexei Navalny's release.&nbsp;

"This is very aggressive and unconstructive rhetoric," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "We've already said that we will not heed patronising statements of this sort. We will not do it."

He said Russia would not tolerate any US ultimatums, adding the Kremlin hoped however that there could still be useful dialogue between the two countries when their interests coincided.

Biden on Thursday promised a new era of US foreign policy in his first diplomatic address as president and said he had told Russia President Vladimir Putin that the days of the United States rolling over in the face of what he called Moscow's aggressive actions were over.

In toughly worded remarks pivoting from his predecessor Donald Trump's muted approach to Moscow, Biden warned of "advancing authoritarianism" in China and Russia.

The speech at the State Department thrust Russia back onto the front burner of the US diplomatic agenda after four years during which Trump largely pushed the worsening relationship with Moscow to the side and consistently refused to criticise Putin.

Biden said that in his first phone call with the Russian leader since taking office on January 20 he "made it clear" to Putin that the relationship was changing.

"We will not hesitate to raise the cost on Russia and defend our vital interest and our people," the Democrat said, highlighting a massive cyber attack and election interference blamed on Moscow.

"The days of the United States rolling over... are over," he said.

Biden also devoted part of his speech to unusually direct criticism of the authorities' treatment of Navalny.

"Mr Navalny, like all Russian citizens, is entitled to his rights under the Russian constitution. He's been targeted for exposing corruption. He should be released immediately and without condition," he said.

(with inputs from agencies)

The Kremlin has slammed US President Joe Biden's "very aggressive rhetoric" after he said Washington's relationship with Moscow would change and demanded opposition politician Alexei Navalny's release.

The Kremlin has slammed US President Joe Biden's "very aggressive rhetoric" after he said Washington's relationship with Moscow would change and demanded opposition politician Alexei Navalny's release. "This is very aggressive and unconstructive rhetoric," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "We've already said that we will not heed patronising statements of this sort. We will not do it." He said Russia would not tolerate any US ultimatums, adding the Kremlin hoped however that there could still be useful dialogue between the two countries when their interests coincided. Biden on Thursday promised a new era of US foreign policy in his first diplomatic address as president and said he had told Russia President Vladimir Putin that the days of the United States rolling over in the face of what he called Moscow's aggressive actions were over. In toughly worded remarks pivoting from his predecessor Donald Trump's muted approach to Moscow, Biden warned of "advancing authoritarianism" in China and Russia. The speech at the State Department thrust Russia back onto the front burner of the US diplomatic agenda after four years during which Trump largely pushed the worsening relationship with Moscow to the side and consistently refused to criticise Putin. Biden said that in his first phone call with the Russian leader since taking office on January 20 he "made it clear" to Putin that the relationship was changing. "We will not hesitate to raise the cost on Russia and defend our vital interest and our people," the Democrat said, highlighting a massive cyber attack and election interference blamed on Moscow. "The days of the United States rolling over... are over," he said. Biden also devoted part of his speech to unusually direct criticism of the authorities' treatment of Navalny. "Mr Navalny, like all Russian citizens, is entitled to his rights under the Russian constitution. He's been targeted for exposing corruption. He should be released immediately and without condition," he said. (with inputs from agencies)

Kremlin slams Biden's 'very aggressive rhetoric'

Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, knows how to deal with her husband’s frequent detentions at the hands of the Russian authorities.

In 2018, a Russian general wearing a gigantic green military cap and a showy array of military medals, released a video recording with a bald threat to “make nice juicy mincemeat” of Navalny. So Navalnaya stepped in to deliver the riposte her then-jailed husband could not — and with the typical humor of the Navalny family. In an Instagram post, she snickered at his cartoonishly large hat, saying he looked like a tinpot dictator.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/audio-of-navalnys-speech-calling-putin-the-underwear-poisoner-before-being-jailed-361530/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Now, with her husband facing a two-year prison sentence — his first lengthy term — the question on many minds in the opposition and elsewhere is whether the woman sometimes called the first lady of the opposition will take a more prominent role or even enter politics in her own right.

Already far more high profile than the typical Russian political spouse, Navalnaya has inspired admirers in Russia and beyond, supporting her husband throughout his rise to prominence, eyes wide open to the extraordinary risks. Along the way, she drew sexist attacks from state media caricaturing her as an overbearing wife.

She assumed the spotlight following the poisoning of Navalny last August with a military nerve agent — an attack he and Western leaders say was ordered by the Kremlin. Issuing a series of public demands, she extricated him from the clutches of Russian officials so he could be flown in a medically induced coma to Germany for treatment.

“I understood that in this situation, I am the closest person to him,” she later said in an interview. “I am the wife. If I fall apart, then everybody else will in turn fall apart. So, I pulled myself together.”

She continued to speak out after his arrest last month after returning to Moscow. “I am not afraid, and I urge you all not to be afraid either,” she told a crowd of his supporters.

Navalny’s sentencing Tuesday ignited a nationwide series of large street demonstrations that have breathed new life into the Russian opposition, cemented Navalny’s position as the paramount opponent of President Vladimir Putin and raised expectations that Navalnaya will take on a more prominent role.

The couple met on a beach in Turkey 23 years ago and, before the poisoning last summer, lived in an apartment in Moscow in a crucible of surveillance and repression. Navalnaya, 44, who has an economics degree, worked at a bank before the birth of the first of their two children and has over the past decade been a homemaker.

“Our family has for many years lived in a way where searches, arrests and threats are commonplace,” she wrote on Instagram in 2018.

And while it remains to be seen whether she will decide to take the lead while Navalny is in prison, she has proved to her friends and supporters that she has what it takes.

“Yulia Navalnaya is a unique flower” in an otherwise uninspiring lineup of Russian political wives, a commentator, Anna Narinskaya, wrote in an essay of her prominent role in recent months.

“It’s not because she is the wife of an opposition politician,” Narinskaya wrote, “but because she has so naturally united two difficult-to-combine elements — the position of the wife of an accomplished man and that of a woman who controls her own fate.”

Women are now mostly sidelined in Russian politics, making up only 16% of the lower house of Parliament and just a few senior posts outside government roles deemed appropriate in Russian political culture for women, such as in the health or education ministries.

Even the post-Soviet political opposition has been dominated by men despite its moral clarity on other issues of human rights, said Alena Popova, a co-founder of You Are Not Alone, a women’s rights organization in Moscow.

Yet Russia has one of the largest gender imbalances in the world, with 11 million more women than men in the population because of a high male mortality rate, leaving many issues important to women unaddressed.

“Yulia fits wonderfully into the agenda of our country now,” said Popova, who would like to see her speak out more forcefully. “She is a mother, she is a wife of an imprisoned husband, and she has the story of a woman who did not want to enter politics until the rotten system pulled her in.”

Navalny has himself been accused of sexism. But he said the allegation sprang from a misunderstanding after he called his wife a “little chick” in an online post, saying it was a term of endearment. He defended himself by saying he has hired more women than men in his organization.

Oddly enough, Russian state media have been among the most vocal in promoting the idea of Navalnaya taking over leadership of the opposition, as happened in neighboring Belarus last year when Svetlana Tikhanovskaya stepped in to run for president in the place of her jailed husband.

But the media’s discussion about her potential role has been dismissed by senior figures in Navalny’s organization as a trap designed to distract attention from Navalny while he is imprisoned and potentially blunt calls for his release, while also depicting him as the henpecked puppet of a domineering wife.

“The male character of Yulia Borisovna influenced the division of power within the family,” reported NTV, a pro-government channel, referring to Navalnaya by her patronymic name. “She raises the children and, like a tyrant, controls everything at home.”

As ludicrous as the Russian propaganda line may be, Navalny, for one, is convinced of his wife’s powers, saying she saved his life.

In the Berlin hospital, he emerged from his coma, confused, unable to recognize faces and hallucinating about doctors discussing replacing his legs with prosthetics. “It was like ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,’” he said in an interview with Yury Dud on a popular YouTube channel.

“Finally, I sensed, I understood, that this was Yulia coming to me, adjusting my pillow, and this was important to me,” he said. “I waited for her all the time.”

He added, “I am incredibly grateful.”

Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, knows how to deal with her husband’s frequent detentions at the hands of the Russian authorities.

Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, knows how to deal with her husband’s frequent detentions at the hands of the Russian authorities. In 2018, a Russian general wearing a gigantic green military cap and a showy array of military medals, released a video recording with a bald threat to “make nice juicy mincemeat” of Navalny. So Navalnaya stepped in to deliver the riposte her then-jailed husband could not — and with the typical humor of the Navalny family. In an Instagram post, she snickered at his cartoonishly large hat, saying he looked like a tinpot dictator. Watch | Now, with her husband facing a two-year prison sentence — his first lengthy term — the question on many minds in the opposition and elsewhere is whether the woman sometimes called the first lady of the opposition will take a more prominent role or even enter politics in her own right. Already far more high profile than the typical Russian political spouse, Navalnaya has inspired admirers in Russia and beyond, supporting her husband throughout his rise to prominence, eyes wide open to the extraordinary risks. Along the way, she drew sexist attacks from state media caricaturing her as an overbearing wife. She assumed the spotlight following the poisoning of Navalny last August with a military nerve agent — an attack he and Western leaders say was ordered by the Kremlin. Issuing a series of public demands, she extricated him from the clutches of Russian officials so he could be flown in a medically induced coma to Germany for treatment. “I understood that in this situation, I am the closest person to him,” she later said in an interview. “I am the wife. If I fall apart, then everybody else will in turn fall apart. So, I pulled myself together.” She continued to speak out after his arrest last month after returning to Moscow. “I am not afraid, and I urge you all not to be afraid either,” she told a crowd of his supporters. Navalny’s sentencing Tuesday ignited a nationwide series of large street demonstrations that have breathed new life into the Russian opposition, cemented Navalny’s position as the paramount opponent of President Vladimir Putin and raised expectations that Navalnaya will take on a more prominent role. The couple met on a beach in Turkey 23 years ago and, before the poisoning last summer, lived in an apartment in Moscow in a crucible of surveillance and repression. Navalnaya, 44, who has an economics degree, worked at a bank before the birth of the first of their two children and has over the past decade been a homemaker. “Our family has for many years lived in a way where searches, arrests and threats are commonplace,” she wrote on Instagram in 2018. And while it remains to be seen whether she will decide to take the lead while Navalny is in prison, she has proved to her friends and supporters that she has what it takes. “Yulia Navalnaya is a unique flower” in an otherwise uninspiring lineup of Russian political wives, a commentator, Anna Narinskaya, wrote in an essay of her prominent role in recent months. “It’s not because she is the wife of an opposition politician,” Narinskaya wrote, “but because she has so naturally united two difficult-to-combine elements — the position of the wife of an accomplished man and that of a woman who controls her own fate.” Women are now mostly sidelined in Russian politics, making up only 16% of the lower house of Parliament and just a few senior posts outside government roles deemed appropriate in Russian political culture for women, such as in the health or education ministries. Even the post-Soviet political opposition has been dominated by men despite its moral clarity on other issues of human rights, said Alena Popova, a co-founder of You Are Not Alone, a women’s rights organization in Moscow. Yet Russia has one of the largest gender imbalances in the world, with 11 million more women than men in the population because of a high male mortality rate, leaving many issues important to women unaddressed. “Yulia fits wonderfully into the agenda of our country now,” said Popova, who would like to see her speak out more forcefully. “She is a mother, she is a wife of an imprisoned husband, and she has the story of a woman who did not want to enter politics until the rotten system pulled her in.” Navalny has himself been accused of sexism. But he said the allegation sprang from a misunderstanding after he called his wife a “little chick” in an online post, saying it was a term of endearment. He defended himself by saying he has hired more women than men in his organization. Oddly enough, Russian state media have been among the most vocal in promoting the idea of Navalnaya taking over leadership of the opposition, as happened in neighboring Belarus last year when Svetlana Tikhanovskaya stepped in to run for president in the place of her jailed husband. But the media’s discussion about her potential role has been dismissed by senior figures in Navalny’s organization as a trap designed to distract attention from Navalny while he is imprisoned and potentially blunt calls for his release, while also depicting him as the henpecked puppet of a domineering wife. “The male character of Yulia Borisovna influenced the division of power within the family,” reported NTV, a pro-government channel, referring to Navalnaya by her patronymic name. “She raises the children and, like a tyrant, controls everything at home.” As ludicrous as the Russian propaganda line may be, Navalny, for one, is convinced of his wife’s powers, saying she saved his life. In the Berlin hospital, he emerged from his coma, confused, unable to recognize faces and hallucinating about doctors discussing replacing his legs with prosthetics. “It was like ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,’” he said in an interview with Yury Dud on a popular YouTube channel. “Finally, I sensed, I understood, that this was Yulia coming to me, adjusting my pillow, and this was important to me,” he said. “I waited for her all the time.” He added, “I am incredibly grateful.”

'I am not afraid': With her husband in prison, eyes turn to Yulia Navalnaya

A Russian court jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Tuesday (February 2), ignoring the West in a ruling the opposition politician blamed on President Vladimir Putin's personal hatred and fear of him.

Audio of Navalny's speech calling Putin 'the Underwear Poisoner' before being jailed

A top doctor who treated Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny after he was poisoned last year has died "suddenly", the hospital on Thursday said.&nbsp;

"With regret, we inform you that...the deputy chief physician for anesthesiology and resuscitation of the emergency hospital №1, assistant of the department of Omsk State Medical University, PhD of medical sciences Maksimishin Sergey Valentinovich suddenly passed away," a statement by the hospital said, as reported by CNN.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-protesters-packed-into-small-cells-with-poor-facilities-361499/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Kremlin critic was admitted to acute poisoning unit of Omsk emergency hospital No. 1 on August 20 last year after he was fell sick due to the Novichok in a plane heading to Moscow from Siberia. &nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/days-of-us-rolling-over-gone-biden-warns-china-russia-in-first-diplomatic-speech-361464">Days of US 'rolling over' gone: Biden warns China, Russia in first diplomatic speech</a>

Navalny was hospitalised in Omsk after the plane made an emergency landing.&nbsp;

He was then taken to Germany where he was then treated and recovered.

Navalny blames for its poisoning Russian President Vladimir Putin and the nation's security service, accusations that Kremlin has continually denied.&nbsp;

Leonid Volkov, Navalny's chief of staff, confirmed that Sergey Valentinovich was in charge of treating the Kremlin critic.&nbsp;

"Sergey Maximishin was the head of department that treated Alexey Navalny and was in charge of his treatment — specifically his medically induced coma," Volkov was quoted as saying by CNN.

"(Maximishim) knew more than anyone else about Alexey's condition so I can't dismiss possibility of foul play."&nbsp;

However, he added that Russia's health system is "very poor" and doctors in the past have died "suddenly".

"Russia's health care system is very poor and it's not uncommon for doctors of his age to suddenly die. I doubt there will any investigation into his death," Navalny's chief of staff said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A top doctor who treated Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny after he was poisoned last year has died "suddenly", the hospital on Thursday said. "With regret, we inform you that.

A top doctor who treated Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny after he was poisoned last year has died "suddenly", the hospital on Thursday said. "With regret, we inform you that...the deputy chief physician for anesthesiology and resuscitation of the emergency hospital №1, assistant of the department of Omsk State Medical University, PhD of medical sciences Maksimishin Sergey Valentinovich suddenly passed away," a statement by the hospital said, as reported by CNN. Watch | The Kremlin critic was admitted to acute poisoning unit of Omsk emergency hospital No. 1 on August 20 last year after he was fell sick due to the Novichok in a plane heading to Moscow from Siberia. Also read | Days of US 'rolling over' gone: Biden warns China, Russia in first diplomatic speech Navalny was hospitalised in Omsk after the plane made an emergency landing. He was then taken to Germany where he was then treated and recovered. Navalny blames for its poisoning Russian President Vladimir Putin and the nation's security service, accusations that Kremlin has continually denied. Leonid Volkov, Navalny's chief of staff, confirmed that Sergey Valentinovich was in charge of treating the Kremlin critic. "Sergey Maximishin was the head of department that treated Alexey Navalny and was in charge of his treatment — specifically his medically induced coma," Volkov was quoted as saying by CNN. "(Maximishim) knew more than anyone else about Alexey's condition so I can't dismiss possibility of foul play." However, he added that Russia's health system is "very poor" and doctors in the past have died "suddenly". "Russia's health care system is very poor and it's not uncommon for doctors of his age to suddenly die. I doubt there will any investigation into his death," Navalny's chief of staff said.

Top Russian doctor who treated Navalny after poisoning dies

As Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny is put behind bars. What is the future of Russia's opposition? WION's Palki Sharma tells you how it's becoming a dying species.

Gravitas: What is the future of Russian Opposition?

Russia accused the West on Wednesday of descending into hysteria over the jailing of opposition politician Alexei Navalny, and the Kremlin said police had been right to use force to break up protests over his imprisonment.

WION Dispatch: Russia accuses West, says, "West descending into Hysteria"

Canada has designated US far-right group 'Proud Boys' as a banned terrorist group. The authorities described the group a "serious and growing threat". Meanwhile, Myanmar military has blocked Facebook. UN chief has said that he will do everything possible to ensure that Myanmar coup fails. Read this and more in our morning news brief.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-military-clamps-down-on-internet-services-blocks-facebook-361183">Myanmar military clamps down on internet services, blocks Facebook</a>

<img alt="Myanmar coup" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c38e9ad0-bed1-4fad-bcf3-00f5b5404436" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/myanmar.JPG" />

Facebook acknowledged the disruption while urging authorities to restore internet connectivity in Myanmar.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-sends-top-envoy-to-russia-amid-alexei-navalny-controversy-361186">EU sends top envoy to Russia amid Alexei Navalny controversy</a>

<img alt="Alexei Navalny" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="25e5ba68-405b-4798-8425-d2ec8adb4460" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Nvalny.JPG" />

European Union foreign policy chief insists that he will deliver "clear messages" to the Kremlin

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/will-do-everything-possible-to-make-sure-myanmar-coup-fails-un-chief-361184">Will do everything possible to make sure Myanmar coup fails: UN chief</a>

<img alt="UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d312bd9-9762-4c02-83ef-5e7acc7149b2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/UN_1.JPG" />

Myanmar again went back to military rule on Monday after soldiers detained de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders in several raids

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-designates-proud-boys-as-terrorist-group-cites-active-security-threat-361189">Canada designates 'Proud Boys' as terrorist group, cites active security threat</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-designates-proud-boys-as-terrorist-group-cites-active-security-threat-361189"><img alt="Proud boys" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ffb191ba-322c-4b9e-856a-d4b759cb657d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/proud%20boys.JPG" /></a> 
 
During the US presidential campaign, Trump and Biden had clashed over the conduct of Proud Boys after Trump said "Proud Boys -- stand back and stand by"

Why is Jeff Bezos stepping down?

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-why-is-jeff-bezos-stepping-down-361181/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Canada has designated US far-right group 'Proud Boys' as a banned terrorist group. The authorities described the group a "serious and growing threat". Meanwhile, Myanmar military has blocked Facebook.

Canada has designated US far-right group 'Proud Boys' as a banned terrorist group. The authorities described the group a "serious and growing threat". Meanwhile, Myanmar military has blocked Facebook. UN chief has said that he will do everything possible to ensure that Myanmar coup fails. Read this and more in our morning news brief. Myanmar military clamps down on internet services, blocks Facebook Facebook acknowledged the disruption while urging authorities to restore internet connectivity in Myanmar. EU sends top envoy to Russia amid Alexei Navalny controversy European Union foreign policy chief insists that he will deliver "clear messages" to the Kremlin Will do everything possible to make sure Myanmar coup fails: UN chief Myanmar again went back to military rule on Monday after soldiers detained de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders in several raids Canada designates 'Proud Boys' as terrorist group, cites active security threat During the US presidential campaign, Trump and Biden had clashed over the conduct of Proud Boys after Trump said "Proud Boys -- stand back and stand by" Why is Jeff Bezos stepping down? ×

Morning news brief: 'Proud Boys' declared terrorists, Myanmar coup, and more

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is set to fly to Moscow amid jailing of Alexei Navalny and crackdown against protests. This is the first visit of a top EU envoy to Russia. Although the likely aim of the visit is to put pressure on Moscow over Alexei Navalny, some European capitals worried that Borrell's visit may signal business as usual with Moscow.

But Borrell insists he will deliver "clear messages" to the Kremlin despite it blanking Western calls to release President Vladimir Putin's most prominent domestic opponent Navalny, who was on Tuesday given a jail term of almost three years.

"It is when things are not going well that you must engage," the former Spanish foreign minister said on Monday.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/moscow-navalnys-supporters-take-to-streets-after-he-sentenced-to-jail-361071/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Russia and EU have had strained relations ever since Russia captured Crimea and fuelled was in Ukraine in 2014.&nbsp;

Borrell is eager to sound out his veteran counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the chances of cooperation on issues including enlisting Russia's help in reviving the Iran nuclear deal and tackling climate change.&nbsp;

However, the issue of Navalny and subsequent protests looms large on the visit.

Moscow has already dismissed linking the meet with Navalny as 'nonsense'

"We hope that such nonsense as linking the prospects of Russia-EU relations with the resident of a detention centre will not happen," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kremlin-defends-crackdown-on-navalny-supporters-361095">Kremlin defends crackdown on Navalny supporters</a>

Moscow stands "ready to do everything" to develop ties with Brussels, but the Kremlin is "not ready to listen to advice" on the issue of Navalny, he said.&nbsp;

The authorities have poured cold water on attempts to set up a meeting with Putin's nemesis and Borrell will settle for talks with civil society representatives. &nbsp;

Back in Europe calls are growing from some nations for the EU to bulk up on sanctions it slapped on six Russian officials in October over the nerve agent poisoning that left Navalny fighting for his life in Germany.

EU foreign ministers last week agreed they would revisit the issue if he was not released.&nbsp;

"After this ruling, there will now also be talks among EU partners. Further sanctions cannot be ruled out," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert.

An EU statement said foreign ministers would discuss "possible further action" at a meeting on February 22.

(With AFP inputs)

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is set to fly to Moscow amid jailing of Alexei Navalny and crackdown against protests. This is the first visit of a top EU envoy to Russia.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is set to fly to Moscow amid jailing of Alexei Navalny and crackdown against protests. This is the first visit of a top EU envoy to Russia. Although the likely aim of the visit is to put pressure on Moscow over Alexei Navalny, some European capitals worried that Borrell's visit may signal business as usual with Moscow. But Borrell insists he will deliver "clear messages" to the Kremlin despite it blanking Western calls to release President Vladimir Putin's most prominent domestic opponent Navalny, who was on Tuesday given a jail term of almost three years. "It is when things are not going well that you must engage," the former Spanish foreign minister said on Monday. × Russia and EU have had strained relations ever since Russia captured Crimea and fuelled was in Ukraine in 2014. Borrell is eager to sound out his veteran counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the chances of cooperation on issues including enlisting Russia's help in reviving the Iran nuclear deal and tackling climate change. However, the issue of Navalny and subsequent protests looms large on the visit. Moscow has already dismissed linking the meet with Navalny as 'nonsense' "We hope that such nonsense as linking the prospects of Russia-EU relations with the resident of a detention centre will not happen," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Also Read | Kremlin defends crackdown on Navalny supporters Moscow stands "ready to do everything" to develop ties with Brussels, but the Kremlin is "not ready to listen to advice" on the issue of Navalny, he said. The authorities have poured cold water on attempts to set up a meeting with Putin's nemesis and Borrell will settle for talks with civil society representatives. Back in Europe calls are growing from some nations for the EU to bulk up on sanctions it slapped on six Russian officials in October over the nerve agent poisoning that left Navalny fighting for his life in Germany. EU foreign ministers last week agreed they would revisit the issue if he was not released. "After this ruling, there will now also be talks among EU partners. Further sanctions cannot be ruled out," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert. An EU statement said foreign ministers would discuss "possible further action" at a meeting on February 22. (With AFP inputs)

EU sends top envoy to Russia amid Alexei Navalny controversy

A Russian court Wednesday sentenced the editor of a popular news website to 25 days in jail for retweeting a reference to an anti-Kremlin protest, the latest sign of an extraordinary crackdown on freedom of expression following the return to Russia last month of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Until recently, President Vladimir Putin has mostly tolerated a vibrant landscape of independent online news outlets that took advantage of Russia’s uncensored internet to offer an alternative to the state-controlled television news. Similarly, Navalny’s allies and other opposition activists were rarely thrown in jail, an indication that the Kremlin saw them more as a nuisance than as a real threat.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-accuses-west-of-navalny-hysteria-kremlin-backs-tough-protest-policing-361266/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

But all that has changed in the last three weeks. Navalny’s livestreamed, dramatic return to Russia after recovering from poisoning in Germany, and his report on Putin’s purported secret palace, viewed more than 100 million times on YouTube, have highlighted the stark threat that the internet poses to the Kremlin’s hold on public opinion.

Navalny — who had never been forced to spend more than a few weeks in jail at a time — was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison Tuesday for violating his parole on a 2014 conviction that Europe’s top human rights court found politically motivated.

Then, Wednesday, Sergey Smirnov — the editor of news site Mediazona, which covered Navalny’s Tuesday hearing in meticulous detail — received a jail sentence of 25 days. His offense: retweeting a joke by another Twitter user about how a musician pictured in a Navalny advertisement calling for protests looked similar to Smirnov.

Smirnov’s retweet, according to court papers, “calls on a group of individuals of unlimited size to take part in an unauthorized protest on January 23, 2021.”

Smirnov said he was simply retweeting a joke and was not calling on people to come to the rally, which he said he did not attend.

“A retweet does not equal endorsement,” Smirnov told the judge at his hearing Wednesday, according to a reporter there.

Mediazona, founded by members of punk rock group Pussy Riot, focuses on criminal justice and human rights issues and is one of Russia’s most popular news websites independent of Kremlin control. One of those founders, Pussy Riot’s Maria Alyokhina, is among the Navalny supporters put under house arrest after having been detained at a protest last month.

“This is an attempt to silence honest and professional journalism,” Echo of Moscow, Russia’s best-known liberal radio station, said in a statement.

Smirnov’s jailing came after a night of police violence in central Moscow, where more than 1,000 people tried to protest Navalny’s prison sentence. They were met by an overwhelming show of police force — one Russian outlet reported that more than 8,000 police officers had been deployed — that flooded the grand squares and upmarket side streets near the Kremlin.

“We’ve woken up in a different country, one in which fascists have taken power,” Yevgeny Roizman, the former mayor of the city of Yekaterinburg and a Kremlin critic, wrote on Twitter. “They took over the country earlier, but they stopped hiding it yesterday.”

Police officers in Moscow were filmed swinging batons at pro-Navalny protesters who had their hands up, clubbing a journalist twice on the head and dragging people out of passing cars.

Across Russia, authorities have made more than 10,000 arrests in the past few weeks, according to OVD-Info, an activist group that tracks detentions at protests. Those jailed or under house arrest include most of Navalny’s closest allies inside the country and many of his key supporters in the regions.

The Kremlin reiterated Wednesday that it would not back down.

“There must not be any unsanctioned protest activity,” Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters. “Unsanctioned protests are cause for concern, confirming that the police are justified in their tough, legal actions.”

Still, supporters of Navalny see momentum on their side, and those allies who have managed to avoid jail called on Russians to be patient and to keep fighting. Navalny’s prominence is now far greater than it was just a month ago, with extensive coverage even on the state television news. And, even in prison, he may have a unique ability to unite Russia’s disparate opposition — while those allies who are in relative safety outside the country will continue to try to reach Russians online.

The Navalny team’s strategy is to build its reach and visibility while chipping away at Putin’s legitimacy through corruption investigations and election campaigns against the Kremlin. His allies say they will also call for more street protests.

Vladimir Ashurkov, one of Navalny’s top allies, said his team had long understood that Russia’s pro-democracy groups were too weak to force political change on their own timetable. But he said they were confident that change would come, with dissatisfaction building in the general public and among the elite.

“Our strategy is to be the best-organized political force when things start to change,” Ashurkov said in a telephone interview from London. “We don’t know when that will happen.”

He said he had discussed plans with Navalny to call for sanctions against Russian officials, state media figures and business tycoons close to Putin — which Ashurkov did in a letter to President Joe Biden last week.

“We have a plan for how we are going to organize our work and how we will constantly pressure the authorities for his release,” Ashurkov said of Navalny.

Navalny has repeatedly embarrassed Putin and his allies with investigative reports about corruption that were viewed many millions of times on YouTube. Authorities previously tried to contain Navalny with jail terms of a few weeks to avoid turning him into a political martyr.

“We are entering a new period of instability and uncertainty,” Ashurkov said. “But no one knows how close we are to the period we are preparing for — when liberalization begins.”

Ivan Zhdanov, director of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, wrote in an Instagram post to opposition supporters: “Don’t panic and don’t lose heart.”

Tatiana Stanovaya, a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Moscow Center, described in a commentary the crackdown as the mark of a new phase in the Kremlin’s treatment of the anti-Putin opposition.

In years past, the Kremlin’s goal was to delegitimize the opposition in the eyes of the public and keep it out of official politics. Now, she said, it is being criminalized and cast as a national security threat.

At the same time, Putin’s critics are for the first time uniting around a single figure — Navalny.

“A time of great confrontation has arrived,” Stanovaya wrote. 
&nbsp;

A Russian court Wednesday sentenced the editor of a popular news website to 25 days in jail for retweeting a reference to an anti-Kremlin protest, the latest sign of an extraordinary crackdown on freedom of expression following the return to Russia last month of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

A Russian court Wednesday sentenced the editor of a popular news website to 25 days in jail for retweeting a reference to an anti-Kremlin protest, the latest sign of an extraordinary crackdown on freedom of expression following the return to Russia last month of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Until recently, President Vladimir Putin has mostly tolerated a vibrant landscape of independent online news outlets that took advantage of Russia’s uncensored internet to offer an alternative to the state-controlled television news. Similarly, Navalny’s allies and other opposition activists were rarely thrown in jail, an indication that the Kremlin saw them more as a nuisance than as a real threat. Watch | But all that has changed in the last three weeks. Navalny’s livestreamed, dramatic return to Russia after recovering from poisoning in Germany, and his report on Putin’s purported secret palace, viewed more than 100 million times on YouTube, have highlighted the stark threat that the internet poses to the Kremlin’s hold on public opinion. Navalny — who had never been forced to spend more than a few weeks in jail at a time — was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison Tuesday for violating his parole on a 2014 conviction that Europe’s top human rights court found politically motivated. Then, Wednesday, Sergey Smirnov — the editor of news site Mediazona, which covered Navalny’s Tuesday hearing in meticulous detail — received a jail sentence of 25 days. His offense: retweeting a joke by another Twitter user about how a musician pictured in a Navalny advertisement calling for protests looked similar to Smirnov. Smirnov’s retweet, according to court papers, “calls on a group of individuals of unlimited size to take part in an unauthorized protest on January 23, 2021.” Smirnov said he was simply retweeting a joke and was not calling on people to come to the rally, which he said he did not attend. “A retweet does not equal endorsement,” Smirnov told the judge at his hearing Wednesday, according to a reporter there. Mediazona, founded by members of punk rock group Pussy Riot, focuses on criminal justice and human rights issues and is one of Russia’s most popular news websites independent of Kremlin control. One of those founders, Pussy Riot’s Maria Alyokhina, is among the Navalny supporters put under house arrest after having been detained at a protest last month. “This is an attempt to silence honest and professional journalism,” Echo of Moscow, Russia’s best-known liberal radio station, said in a statement. Smirnov’s jailing came after a night of police violence in central Moscow, where more than 1,000 people tried to protest Navalny’s prison sentence. They were met by an overwhelming show of police force — one Russian outlet reported that more than 8,000 police officers had been deployed — that flooded the grand squares and upmarket side streets near the Kremlin. “We’ve woken up in a different country, one in which fascists have taken power,” Yevgeny Roizman, the former mayor of the city of Yekaterinburg and a Kremlin critic, wrote on Twitter. “They took over the country earlier, but they stopped hiding it yesterday.” Police officers in Moscow were filmed swinging batons at pro-Navalny protesters who had their hands up, clubbing a journalist twice on the head and dragging people out of passing cars. Across Russia, authorities have made more than 10,000 arrests in the past few weeks, according to OVD-Info, an activist group that tracks detentions at protests. Those jailed or under house arrest include most of Navalny’s closest allies inside the country and many of his key supporters in the regions. The Kremlin reiterated Wednesday that it would not back down. “There must not be any unsanctioned protest activity,” Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters. “Unsanctioned protests are cause for concern, confirming that the police are justified in their tough, legal actions.” Still, supporters of Navalny see momentum on their side, and those allies who have managed to avoid jail called on Russians to be patient and to keep fighting. Navalny’s prominence is now far greater than it was just a month ago, with extensive coverage even on the state television news. And, even in prison, he may have a unique ability to unite Russia’s disparate opposition — while those allies who are in relative safety outside the country will continue to try to reach Russians online. The Navalny team’s strategy is to build its reach and visibility while chipping away at Putin’s legitimacy through corruption investigations and election campaigns against the Kremlin. His allies say they will also call for more street protests. Vladimir Ashurkov, one of Navalny’s top allies, said his team had long understood that Russia’s pro-democracy groups were too weak to force political change on their own timetable. But he said they were confident that change would come, with dissatisfaction building in the general public and among the elite. “Our strategy is to be the best-organized political force when things start to change,” Ashurkov said in a telephone interview from London. “We don’t know when that will happen.” He said he had discussed plans with Navalny to call for sanctions against Russian officials, state media figures and business tycoons close to Putin — which Ashurkov did in a letter to President Joe Biden last week. “We have a plan for how we are going to organize our work and how we will constantly pressure the authorities for his release,” Ashurkov said of Navalny. Navalny has repeatedly embarrassed Putin and his allies with investigative reports about corruption that were viewed many millions of times on YouTube. Authorities previously tried to contain Navalny with jail terms of a few weeks to avoid turning him into a political martyr. “We are entering a new period of instability and uncertainty,” Ashurkov said. “But no one knows how close we are to the period we are preparing for — when liberalization begins.” Ivan Zhdanov, director of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, wrote in an Instagram post to opposition supporters: “Don’t panic and don’t lose heart.” Tatiana Stanovaya, a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Moscow Center, described in a commentary the crackdown as the mark of a new phase in the Kremlin’s treatment of the anti-Putin opposition. In years past, the Kremlin’s goal was to delegitimize the opposition in the eyes of the public and keep it out of official politics. Now, she said, it is being criminalized and cast as a national security threat. At the same time, Putin’s critics are for the first time uniting around a single figure — Navalny. “A time of great confrontation has arrived,” Stanovaya wrote.

Website editor in Russia is jailed for sharing joke about Navalny protests

Russia accuses West of Navalny hysteria, Kremlin backs tough protest policing

Lawyers for Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said on Tuesday they would appeal against the ruling of a Russian court which jailed him for 3.5 years.

Navalny's lawyer said the anti-corruption blogger would serve only two years and eight months in jail because of time he has already spent under house arrest.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/brutal-clamp-down-of-protesters-by-russian-police-watch-video-360878/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The court's decision to turn a 2014 suspended sentence into real jail time will see&nbsp;Navalny, a 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner who accuses the Kremlin of poisoning him last year, serve a lengthy prison term for the first time.

He was accused of violating parole conditions by refusing to check in with prison officials and was arrested when he flew back to Moscow on January 17 from Germany, where he spent months recovering from the poisoning.

Navalny&nbsp;said it was impossible to make the appointments while abroad, but the judge said he had skipped meetings prior to the poisoning.

The widely anticipated ruling, which followed nationwide protests calling for Navalny's release, is likely to further strain relations with the West, which is likely to consider imposing sanctions on Russia over its handling of the case.

Navalny, one of President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critics, was arrested last month after returning from Germany where he had been recovering from being poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent.

Tuesday's hearing focused on alleged parole violations over a suspended sentence in a 2014 embezzlement case Navalny says was fabricated.

Navalny, in a fiery speech to the court, alleged he was jailed because of Putin's concerns about him as a political rival, a suggestion the Kremlin has laughed off, referring to Navalny as a troublesome blogger without wide popular support.

'Pure cowardice'

After the ruling, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for&nbsp;Navalny's release, warning Washington and its allies would "hold Russia accountable for failing to uphold the rights of its citizens."

French President Emmanuel Macron called for his release, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel labelling the decision "far removed from any rule of law", while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called it "pure cowardice".&nbsp;

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, due to visit Moscow later this week, said it "runs counter to Russia's international commitments on rule of law and fundamental freedoms".

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the Western reaction as "disconnected from reality", adding: "There is no need to interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign state."

Tens of thousands have taken to the streets in Moscow and other Russian cities over the last two weekends to call for&nbsp;Navalny's release, prompting a massive police clampdown that saw several thousand people arrested.

Police detained more than 1,050 protests on Tuesday alone, mostly in Moscow, according to monitoring group OVD-Info.

Lawyers for Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said on Tuesday they would appeal against the ruling of a Russian court which jailed him for 3.5 years. Navalny's lawyer said the anti-corruption blogger would serve only two years and eight months in jail because of time he has already spent under house arrest.

Lawyers for Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said on Tuesday they would appeal against the ruling of a Russian court which jailed him for 3.5 years. Navalny's lawyer said the anti-corruption blogger would serve only two years and eight months in jail because of time he has already spent under house arrest. The court's decision to turn a 2014 suspended sentence into real jail time will see Navalny, a 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner who accuses the Kremlin of poisoning him last year, serve a lengthy prison term for the first time. He was accused of violating parole conditions by refusing to check in with prison officials and was arrested when he flew back to Moscow on January 17 from Germany, where he spent months recovering from the poisoning. Navalny said it was impossible to make the appointments while abroad, but the judge said he had skipped meetings prior to the poisoning. The widely anticipated ruling, which followed nationwide protests calling for Navalny's release, is likely to further strain relations with the West, which is likely to consider imposing sanctions on Russia over its handling of the case. Navalny, one of President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critics, was arrested last month after returning from Germany where he had been recovering from being poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent. Tuesday's hearing focused on alleged parole violations over a suspended sentence in a 2014 embezzlement case Navalny says was fabricated. Navalny, in a fiery speech to the court, alleged he was jailed because of Putin's concerns about him as a political rival, a suggestion the Kremlin has laughed off, referring to Navalny as a troublesome blogger without wide popular support. 'Pure cowardice' After the ruling, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for Navalny's release, warning Washington and its allies would "hold Russia accountable for failing to uphold the rights of its citizens." French President Emmanuel Macron called for his release, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel labelling the decision "far removed from any rule of law", while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called it "pure cowardice". European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, due to visit Moscow later this week, said it "runs counter to Russia's international commitments on rule of law and fundamental freedoms". Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the Western reaction as "disconnected from reality", adding: "There is no need to interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign state." Tens of thousands have taken to the streets in Moscow and other Russian cities over the last two weekends to call for Navalny's release, prompting a massive police clampdown that saw several thousand people arrested. Police detained more than 1,050 protests on Tuesday alone, mostly in Moscow, according to monitoring group OVD-Info.

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's lawyer says will appeal against jail sentence

Kremlin is blaming 'Western powers' of meddling in Alexei Navalny's court-hearing. From being accused of interfering in other's affairs to now leveling the same accusation

Gravitas: 13 foreign diplomats attend Navalny hearing

The Kremlin on Wednesday defended its crackdown on protesters demanding the release of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who was handed a prison term of almost three years on Tuesday.

Navalny's allies have, however, vowed to continue putting pressure on the authorities even as protest monitors said that more than 10,000 people have been detained at recent nationwide rallies in support of President Vladimir Putin's loudest critic.

Tuesday's verdict spurred Navalny's supporters to take to the streets of the capital Moscow where riot police used batons to disperse the protesters who were detained en masse.

"The holding of unauthorised rallies raises concerns and justifies the tough actions of the police," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday.

Mass protests in more than one hundred cities across Russia were sparked by Navalny's arrest in a Moscow airport last month on arrival from Germany where he was recovering after being poisoned in August. The 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner was given a jail term of two years and eight months for violating the terms of a 2014 suspended sentence on embezzlement charges he claims were a pretext to silence him.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-court-orders-kremlin-critic-navalny-to-prison-despite-outcry-us-and-uk-react-360954">ALSO READ |&nbsp;Russian court orders Kremlin critic Navalny to prison despite outcry</a>

In its most recent investigation, Navalny's team accused Putin of being gifted an opulent palace on the Black Sea coast in a video that garnered more than 100 million views on YouTube.

The report was seen as a rallying cry that spurred tens of thousands of demonstrators onto the street on consecutive weekends last month, with protester chants and signs referencing the investigation.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Navalny's arrest and the violent police crackdown on protesters have been met with condemnation by international rights groups and Western governments, including the United States, Britain and France.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/history-will-remember-putin-as-nothing-but-an-underpants-poisoner-navalny-361091">ALSO READ |&nbsp;History will remember Putin as nothing but an 'underpants poisoner': Navalny</a>

(with inputs from agencies)

The Kremlin on Wednesday defended its crackdown on protesters demanding the release of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who was handed a prison term of almost three years on Tuesday.

The Kremlin on Wednesday defended its crackdown on protesters demanding the release of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who was handed a prison term of almost three years on Tuesday. Navalny's allies have, however, vowed to continue putting pressure on the authorities even as protest monitors said that more than 10,000 people have been detained at recent nationwide rallies in support of President Vladimir Putin's loudest critic. Tuesday's verdict spurred Navalny's supporters to take to the streets of the capital Moscow where riot police used batons to disperse the protesters who were detained en masse. "The holding of unauthorised rallies raises concerns and justifies the tough actions of the police," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday. Mass protests in more than one hundred cities across Russia were sparked by Navalny's arrest in a Moscow airport last month on arrival from Germany where he was recovering after being poisoned in August. The 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner was given a jail term of two years and eight months for violating the terms of a 2014 suspended sentence on embezzlement charges he claims were a pretext to silence him. ALSO READ | Russian court orders Kremlin critic Navalny to prison despite outcry In its most recent investigation, Navalny's team accused Putin of being gifted an opulent palace on the Black Sea coast in a video that garnered more than 100 million views on YouTube. The report was seen as a rallying cry that spurred tens of thousands of demonstrators onto the street on consecutive weekends last month, with protester chants and signs referencing the investigation. Meanwhile, Navalny's arrest and the violent police crackdown on protesters have been met with condemnation by international rights groups and Western governments, including the United States, Britain and France. ALSO READ | History will remember Putin as nothing but an 'underpants poisoner': Navalny (with inputs from agencies)

Kremlin defends crackdown on Navalny supporters

Navalny, who has accused the Russian president and his allies of stealing billions, was jailed for violating parole from a 2014 sentence for embezzlement in a case he has said was politically motivated.

Navalny claims the due process was 'crudely violated'

Russian Kremlin Critic Alexei Navalny has been sent to prison for three and a half years. A Moscow court found him guilty of violating the terms of his probation while he was in Germany recovering from a poisoning attack.

Moscow court sends Alexei Navalny to prison for 3.5 years

A Moscow court on Tuesday ordered Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny to serve prison time for violating the terms of his probation while he was recuperating in Germany from nerve-agent poisoning.

Navalny had earlier denounced the proceedings as a vain attempt by the Kremlin to scare millions of Russians into submission.

The decision to turn a 2014 suspended sentence into real jail time will see Navalny serve a lengthy prison term for the first time.

According to AFP, Judge Natalya Repnikova ordered a suspended three-and-a-half-year sentence Navalny received in 2014 to be changed to time in a penal colony.

The 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner was arrested January 17 upon returning from his five-month convalescence in Germany from the attack, which he has blamed on the Kremlin. Russian authorities, however, deny any involvement.&nbsp;

In a fiery courtroom speech ahead of the ruling, Navalny accused Putin of trying to intimidate his critics and mocked the Russian leader over allegations the Novichok nerve agent used to poison him had been placed in his underwear.&nbsp;

"They are putting one person behind bars to scare millions," Navalny said.&nbsp;

Tens of thousands have taken to the streets of Moscow and other Russian cities over the last two weekends to call for Navalny's release, prompting a massive police clampdown that saw several thousand people arrested.

It is likely to set off new protests after thousands joined nationwide demonstrations over the last two weekends, and to further inflame tensions with Western governments who have been demanding his release.

Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund (FBK) immediately called for supporters to protest in central Moscow.

"We're going to the centre of Moscow right now," it wrote on Twitter, urging supporters to join them.

Also, Navalny's arrest and the mass detentions have triggered a wave of condemnation from the West, with many leaders calling for his release and some urging new sanctions against Moscow.&nbsp;

To this end, the US condemned Tuesday's sentencing and&nbsp;demanded Russia free Navalny "immediately and unconditionally".

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, in a statement: "We reiterate our call for the Russian government to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Navalny, as well as the hundreds of other Russian citizens wrongfully detained in recent weeks for exercising their rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly."

The UK has also reacted. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab urged Russia to release Navalny, calling a Moscow court order for him to serve jail time "perverse".

"The UK calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Alexey Navalny," Raab said in a statement.

"Today's perverse ruling, targeting the victim of a poisoning rather than those responsible, shows Russia is failing to meet the most basic commitments expected of any responsible member of the international community."

(with inputs)

A Moscow court on Tuesday ordered Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny to serve prison time for violating the terms of his probation while he was recuperating in Germany from nerve-agent poisoning.

A Moscow court on Tuesday ordered Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny to serve prison time for violating the terms of his probation while he was recuperating in Germany from nerve-agent poisoning. Navalny had earlier denounced the proceedings as a vain attempt by the Kremlin to scare millions of Russians into submission. The decision to turn a 2014 suspended sentence into real jail time will see Navalny serve a lengthy prison term for the first time. According to AFP, Judge Natalya Repnikova ordered a suspended three-and-a-half-year sentence Navalny received in 2014 to be changed to time in a penal colony. The 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner was arrested January 17 upon returning from his five-month convalescence in Germany from the attack, which he has blamed on the Kremlin. Russian authorities, however, deny any involvement. In a fiery courtroom speech ahead of the ruling, Navalny accused Putin of trying to intimidate his critics and mocked the Russian leader over allegations the Novichok nerve agent used to poison him had been placed in his underwear. "They are putting one person behind bars to scare millions," Navalny said. Tens of thousands have taken to the streets of Moscow and other Russian cities over the last two weekends to call for Navalny's release, prompting a massive police clampdown that saw several thousand people arrested. It is likely to set off new protests after thousands joined nationwide demonstrations over the last two weekends, and to further inflame tensions with Western governments who have been demanding his release. Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund (FBK) immediately called for supporters to protest in central Moscow. "We're going to the centre of Moscow right now," it wrote on Twitter, urging supporters to join them. Also, Navalny's arrest and the mass detentions have triggered a wave of condemnation from the West, with many leaders calling for his release and some urging new sanctions against Moscow. To this end, the US condemned Tuesday's sentencing and demanded Russia free Navalny "immediately and unconditionally". US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, in a statement: "We reiterate our call for the Russian government to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Navalny, as well as the hundreds of other Russian citizens wrongfully detained in recent weeks for exercising their rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly." The UK has also reacted. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab urged Russia to release Navalny, calling a Moscow court order for him to serve jail time "perverse". "The UK calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Alexey Navalny," Raab said in a statement. "Today's perverse ruling, targeting the victim of a poisoning rather than those responsible, shows Russia is failing to meet the most basic commitments expected of any responsible member of the international community." (with inputs)

Russian court orders Kremlin critic Navalny to prison despite outcry; US and UK react

alexei-navalny

Alexei Navalny, News on Alexei Navalny, stories on Alexei Navalny, articles on Alexei Navalny, Alexei Navalny stories at Wion, Alexei Navalny news, Alexei Navalny latest news

alexei navalny