The widow of Alexei Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya, has expressed concerns about the upcoming funeral of her late husband. She warned that the event may not be peaceful, as the police could potentially arrest those who gather to pay their respects. Yulia made these remarks while addressing the European Parliament, where she also claimed that her husband’s body was abused after his death in the Polar Wolf jail.
Navalny’s funeral is scheduled to take place on Friday at the Borisovskoye cemetery in Moscow’s Maryino district. However, several venues initially refused to hold the service, according to his spokesperson. Yulia directly addressed Vladimir Putin, branding him a “monster” and criticizing his handling of the situation.
Yulia stated, “I’m not sure yet whether it will be peaceful or whether the police will arrest those who have come to say goodbye to my husband.” The Russian people have been warned not to use the funeral as an opportunity for protest. Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesperson, cautioned that there would be “legal and law enforcement consequences” for any unauthorized demonstrations.
Navalny, a vocal critic of Putin, died suddenly in prison earlier this month while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges. Although officials claim that he died of “natural causes,” there has been widespread speculation that he was murdered. Many Western leaders have accused the Russian leader of being involved in Navalny’s death.
In her impassioned speech, Yulia accused Putin of killing her husband in the Arctic prison. She described the torture he endured during his three-year detention, including being starved in a small cell and cut off from the outside world. Yulia went on to claim that Navalny was abused even after his death.
According to Ivan Zhdanov, the director of the Navalny Anti-Corruption Foundation, the funeral was initially planned for Thursday, which coincided with Putin’s annual address to Russia’s Federal Assembly. However, no venue agreed to hold the service on that day. Zhdanov suggested that the Kremlin understood that Putin’s message would be overshadowed on the day of Navalny’s farewell.
Yulia encouraged Navalny’s supporters to arrive early to pay their respects. She has been a tireless advocate for justice and has played a prominent role in shedding light on her husband’s plight. Yulia’s mother-in-law, Lyudmila, was finally allowed to see her son’s body last week after a six-day delay. She had demanded to see the body amid fears of blackmail and threats against it.
The circumstances surrounding Navalny’s death remain mysterious. There have been allegations that his body was found covered in bruises, leading to theories of foul play. One theory suggests that he was killed with a single punch to the heart after being forced to endure freezing temperatures. This brutal method is reminiscent of the KGB’s tactics, according to human rights groups.
However, Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence, claimed that Navalny died from a blood clot. He insisted that it was a natural death and not the result of foul play. The conflicting accounts have further fueled speculation and raised questions about the true cause of Navalny’s demise.
Moreover, it has been alleged that Navalny was on the verge of being freed in a prisoner swap before his death. Maria Pevchikh, a senior aide to Navalny, claimed that Putin refused the swap deal, which would have seen Navalny living in exile, out of fear of having his arch-nemesis free. Pevchikh described Putin’s decision as that of a “mad mafioso.”
In conclusion, Yulia Navalnaya’s warning about potential disruptions at her husband’s funeral highlights the tense atmosphere surrounding the event. As Yulia accuses Putin of abusing Navalny’s body, the world watches closely as the funeral approaches. The circumstances of Navalny’s death continue to be the subject of speculation and international scrutiny.
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