Radio Free Europe: “Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, who died in an Arctic prison under mysterious circumstances, was laid to rest Friday, March 1, in a cemetery near his childhood home in Moscow as tens of thousands of supporters defiantly risked reprisal from the authorities as police kept them from joining in the services.
“Ahead of the ceremony, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov issued a warning through reporters during a conference call that any unsanctioned gatherings in support of Navalny would be considered as violations of the law. He also said the Kremlin had no assessment of Navalny as a politician and nothing to say to Navalny’s family. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement or responsibility for Navalny’s death.” (RFE)
From the Independent, “Russian people laid flowers at Alexei Navalny’s grave on Saturday, 2 March, a day after the opposition politician’s funeral at the Borisovskoye cemetery. The 47-year-old prominent critic of Vladimir Putin was buried on Friday after he died while imprisoned at an Arctic penal colony on 16 February. Thousands of mourners defied a heavy riot police presence to pay tribute to Navalny.
As his coffin was removed from the hearse and taken inside the church, a crowd waiting outside broke into respectful applause and chanted: “Navalny! Navalny!”.
Relatives and close associates were allowed to be present at the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God for a brief funeral ceremony for President Vladimir Putin’s most vocal critic on March 1 before the burial at the nearby Borisovskoye Cemetery.
Yulia Navalnaya, Nalvany’s wife, was not at the funeral due for security reasons. She posted this tribute to her husband on Instagram. She states, “I don’t know how to live without you, but I will try my best to make you up there happy for me and proud of me. I don’t know if I’ll manage it or not, but I will try,” she said, alluding to her pledge to continue her husband’s work to bring democracy and freedom to Russia.
