Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-02-16 20:22:34
The passing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny is a devastating blow to President Vladimir Putin’s opponents, as he was their most formidable leader and a symbol of hope for a better future in Russia. Navalny, 47, tragically collapsed and died on Friday after a walk at an Arctic penal colony, as reported by the Russian prison service; however, this statement could not be confirmed by his allies and wife.
Since rising to international prominence during street protests in 2011, Navalny had become the most prominent opposition leader. Many of his supporters believed that he would eventually be released from prison and become Russia’s leader, but his sudden death has left the opposition without a figurehead and no obvious candidate to channel any discontent into mass protests.
Andrei Kolesnikov, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Centre, described Navalny’s death as a reflection of an indifferent society, reckless cruelty, and the loss of hope. Without Navalny, there is no competition for President Putin, making him the lone king. Russian prosecutors have warned against participating in mass protests in Moscow, leaving the opposition in disarray.
Despite his lower approval ratings compared to Putin, Navalny offered urban, educated Russians an alternative to the country’s long-standing paramount leader. With Putin preparing for an election in March that opposition groups call an “anointment,” he faces almost no significant opposition. The crackdown on independent media in Russia has further marginalized any dissent.
Navalny was cast by Russian officials as a criminal and extremist who was a pawn of the CIA, with an agenda to sow chaos and steal Russia’s resources. His death leaves Putin’s opponents scattered throughout Europe and the United States, with those in Russia either imprisoned or too frightened to speak out.
Navalny’s voluntary return to Russia from Germany in 2021 earned him admiration from Russia’s disparate opposition, as he had been treated for an attempted nerve agent poisoning. The Kremlin denied any involvement in the attempt on his life, but it was clear that Navalny was seen as the strongest opposition to Putin since 2000.
The fear of Western interference in Russia around the election may lead Putin to take a more repressive approach to any hostile dissent. Nina Khrushcheva, professor of international relations at the New School in New York, remarked that one by one, the state of Russia is getting rid of its best people, those who can speak the truth to power.
The prison system in Russia is seen as dangerous for Putin’s opponents, as many of them are either imprisoned or facing severe sentences. It is a bleak and uncertain time for the opposition, as they mourn the loss of their most significant figure and struggle to find a way forward without Navalny.
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