Some suspect prominent Putin critic Alexei Navalny’s wife will “pick up the mantel” following his death in prison. 

Mr Navalny died in one of Russia’s toughest prisons deep within the Arctic Circle yesterday.

Yulia Navalnaya, often known as the "First Lady" of the Russian opposition, will take over her husband’s work, according to global affairs analyst Michael Bociurkiw. 

“She will probably become the spokesperson and pick up the mantle from her late husband,” he said.

“This is kind of almost a tradition going back to Soviet times when dissidents rotted away in the Gulag - same region where Mr Navalny was - their wives would come to the west and take up the mantle.” 

'Justice' for Navalny

After Russian media began reporting on the death of Mr Navalny, Ms Navalnaya said if reports were true, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his allies “will be brought to justice, and this day will come soon”. 

Addressing the Munich security conference in Germany yesterday, she said she had been unsure whether she should return to Russia to her children following reports of Mr Navalny’s death. 

“And then I thought: what would have Alexei done in my place? And I’m sure that he would have been standing here on this stage,” she said. 

Police in Russia have arrested people in eight Russian cities as they gathered to mourn the death of the leading Russian opposition politician. 

According to the Russian human rights group, OVD-info, at least 100 people have been arrested across eight cities, including Moscow, St Petersburg and Krasnodar. 

Police detain a man leaving flowers at a memorial for Alexei Navalny, 16/02/2024. Image: AP/Alamy

One woman in Moscow said she was “furious” at Mr Navalny’s death. 

“They finally killed him,” she said. “He survived for the first time, and he seemed to be untouchable.” 

Another woman said Mr Navalny was the “future” of Russia. 

“Maybe there is no future now,” she said. “He wished for a better future.” 

Mr Navalny was previously poisoned in 2020 and recovered but reportedly lived in unsafe conditions in the Siberian prison. 

Denis Krivosheev from Amnesty International says the timing of his death is suspicious. 

“It makes you wonder, one month before the presidential election, was this time coincidental?” he said. 

“I don't know, but it's certainly looking suspicious... a healthy man taking into prison and not coming out alive, there was certainly a crime committed.” 

The Russian presidential elections will take place between March 15th and 17th.