<p>Under the vigilant watch of law enforcement, thousands gathered in Moscow on Friday (March 1) to bid their final farewells to Alexei Navalny, whose death two weeks back&nbsp;in an Arctic penal colony remains shrouded in mystery.</p>

<p>The funeral ceremony unfolded amidst a backdrop of contention between Navalny's supporters and authorities over the release of his body. Despite facing hurdles, including refusals from several Moscow churches to host the service for the prominent anti-corruption crusader, Navalny's team secured permission from the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God Soothe My Sorrows.</p>

<p>As Navalny's coffin was ushered into the church, the crowd erupted into applause and chants of support. Western diplomats, presidential hopefuls, and mourners from across the globe paid their respects. Inside the church, Navalny's body lay adorned with flowers, with his mother by his side, holding a candle.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/love-you-more-and-more-alexei-navalnys-last-message-for-his-wife-from-jail-691011">Also read |&nbsp;‘Love you more and more,’ Navalny’s last message for his wife Yulia. Who is she?</a></p>

<h2><strong>Family dynamics and international attention</strong></h2>

<p>While Navalny's father was present, details regarding other family members remained unclear. His widow, Yulia Navalnaya, recently addressed the European Parliament, while his daughter studies&nbsp;at Stanford University and his son's whereabouts remain&nbsp;unknown. Close associates who left Russia under pressure observed the funeral remotely via Navalny's YouTube channel.</p>

<p>Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov cautioned against unauthorised gatherings, though sentiments among supporters echoed a deep respect for Navalny's activism. Despite legal admonitions, thousands marched to Borisovskoye Cemetery for the burial, where emotional scenes ensued, and demands to pay final respects echoed through the crowd.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: What Happened to 'Putin Critic' Alexei Navalny?</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-what-happened-to-putin-critic-alexei-navalny-669051/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Navalny's mother's eight-day struggle to secure her son's body for burial highlighted bureaucratic hurdles and delays. Even on the day of the funeral, the morgue initially withheld the body, citing the need for further tests, prompting appeals from Navalny's allies for dignified closure.</p>

<p>Russian authorities have yet to determine Navalny's cause of death, fueling speculation and international outcry. His widow accused Putin and Moscow officials of obstructing a public funeral. Despite obstacles, Navalny's supporters worldwide were urged to honour him with floral tributes, underscoring his enduring legacy as a fearless advocate for justice.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Under the vigilant watch of law enforcement, thousands gathered in Moscow on Friday (March 1) to bid their final farewells to Alexei Navalny, whose death two weeks back in an Arctic penal colony remains shrouded in mystery.

Under the vigilant watch of law enforcement, thousands gathered in Moscow on Friday (March 1) to bid their final farewells to Alexei Navalny, whose death two weeks back in an Arctic penal colony remains shrouded in mystery. The funeral ceremony unfolded amidst a backdrop of contention between Navalny's supporters and authorities over the release of his body. Despite facing hurdles, including refusals from several Moscow churches to host the service for the prominent anti-corruption crusader, Navalny's team secured permission from the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God Soothe My Sorrows. As Navalny's coffin was ushered into the church, the crowd erupted into applause and chants of support. Western diplomats, presidential hopefuls, and mourners from across the globe paid their respects. Inside the church, Navalny's body lay adorned with flowers, with his mother by his side, holding a candle. Also read | ‘Love you more and more,’ Navalny’s last message for his wife Yulia. Who is she? Family dynamics and international attention While Navalny's father was present, details regarding other family members remained unclear. His widow, Yulia Navalnaya, recently addressed the European Parliament, while his daughter studies at Stanford University and his son's whereabouts remain unknown. Close associates who left Russia under pressure observed the funeral remotely via Navalny's YouTube channel. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov cautioned against unauthorised gatherings, though sentiments among supporters echoed a deep respect for Navalny's activism. Despite legal admonitions, thousands marched to Borisovskoye Cemetery for the burial, where emotional scenes ensued, and demands to pay final respects echoed through the crowd. Also watch | Gravitas: What Happened to 'Putin Critic' Alexei Navalny? Navalny's mother's eight-day struggle to secure her son's body for burial highlighted bureaucratic hurdles and delays. Even on the day of the funeral, the morgue initially withheld the body, citing the need for further tests, prompting appeals from Navalny's allies for dignified closure. Russian authorities have yet to determine Navalny's cause of death, fueling speculation and international outcry. His widow accused Putin and Moscow officials of obstructing a public funeral. Despite obstacles, Navalny's supporters worldwide were urged to honour him with floral tributes, underscoring his enduring legacy as a fearless advocate for justice. (With inputs from agencies)

Alexei Navalny funeral: Putin's fierce critic buried in Moscow amid tight security

<p>Christo Grozev, the Bulgarian journalist who was among the group of news professionals who investigated Russian dissident Alexei Navalny's poisoning in 2020, was put on the "wanted" list by Russia's&nbsp;Interior Ministry.</p>

<p>Grozev is the lead Russia investigator at the Netherlands-based investigative journalism group Bellingcat.</p>

<p>Information published on the ministry’s website said he was "wanted under an article of the Criminal Code".&nbsp;</p>

<p>A Russian human rights media project OVD-Info was cited by CNN saying that the Russian state has opened a criminal case for spreading "fake news" about the Russian army.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-clears-law-against-fake-news-on-army-bbc-cnn-others-suspend-operations-459126">Putin clears law against ‘fake news’ on army</a></strong></p>

<p>Since April this year, Russia has had a law against "fake news" in place that seeks to punish journalists with a jail term of up to 15 years for publishing fake news about the army. In November, President Vladimir Putin proposed an amendment to the law that called for revoking the citizenship of Russian citizens once found convicted under the law.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/moscow-russian-anti-war-journalist-marina-ovsyannikova-detained-again-505835">Moscow: Russian anti-war journalist Marina Ovsyannikova detained again</a></strong></p>

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<p>Grozev has reported extensively on Russia’s involvement in a number of high-profile international crimes, including the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in eastern Ukraine and the 2018 poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in the United Kingdom. Moscow has denied any responsibility for either attack in the past.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Bellingcat, Grozev focuses on "security threats, extraterritorial clandestine operations, and the weaponization of information."</p>

<p>Grozev has been using open-source digital tools to document alleged war crimes that human rights activists claim have drawn Russia's ire.</p>

<p><strong>'They are scared of our work': Christo Grozev</strong></p>

<p>Grozev wrote on Twitter that the Russian state is "scared" of the work he does and that they would stop at nothing "to make it go away".&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I have no idea on what grounds the Kremlin has put me on its ‘wanted list,’ thus I cannot provide any comments at this time. In a way it doesn’t matter – for years they’ve made it clear they are scared of our work and would stop at nothing to make it go away,” he said in a Twitter post on Monday.</p>

<p>According to OVD-Info, at least 370 people have faced criminal prosecution for anti-war statements and speeches.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Christo Grozev, the Bulgarian journalist who was among the group of news professionals who investigated Russian dissident Alexei Navalny's poisoning in 2020, was put on the "wanted" list by Russia's Interior Ministry.

Christo Grozev, the Bulgarian journalist who was among the group of news professionals who investigated Russian dissident Alexei Navalny's poisoning in 2020, was put on the "wanted" list by Russia's Interior Ministry. Grozev is the lead Russia investigator at the Netherlands-based investigative journalism group Bellingcat. Information published on the ministry’s website said he was "wanted under an article of the Criminal Code". A Russian human rights media project OVD-Info was cited by CNN saying that the Russian state has opened a criminal case for spreading "fake news" about the Russian army. ALSO READ | Putin clears law against ‘fake news’ on army Since April this year, Russia has had a law against "fake news" in place that seeks to punish journalists with a jail term of up to 15 years for publishing fake news about the army. In November, President Vladimir Putin proposed an amendment to the law that called for revoking the citizenship of Russian citizens once found convicted under the law. WATCH | Moscow: Russian anti-war journalist Marina Ovsyannikova detained again × Grozev has reported extensively on Russia’s involvement in a number of high-profile international crimes, including the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in eastern Ukraine and the 2018 poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in the United Kingdom. Moscow has denied any responsibility for either attack in the past. According to Bellingcat, Grozev focuses on "security threats, extraterritorial clandestine operations, and the weaponization of information." Grozev has been using open-source digital tools to document alleged war crimes that human rights activists claim have drawn Russia's ire. 'They are scared of our work': Christo Grozev Grozev wrote on Twitter that the Russian state is "scared" of the work he does and that they would stop at nothing "to make it go away". “I have no idea on what grounds the Kremlin has put me on its ‘wanted list,’ thus I cannot provide any comments at this time. In a way it doesn’t matter – for years they’ve made it clear they are scared of our work and would stop at nothing to make it go away,” he said in a Twitter post on Monday. According to OVD-Info, at least 370 people have faced criminal prosecution for anti-war statements and speeches. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Christo Grozev, journalist who reported on Navalny poisoning, now 'wanted' by Russia

Vladimir Putin administration released their statement on Russian politician 'Alexie Navalny' poisoning case, after 3 months.

Russia:Vladimir putin releases statement on Alexie Navalny poisioning

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Alexei Navalny funeral: Putin's fierce critic buried in Moscow amid tight security

Christo Grozev, journalist who reported on Navalny poisoning, now 'wanted' by Russia

Russia:Vladimir putin releases statement on Alexie Navalny poisioning