Alexei Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya accuses Putin of murder, pledges to continue fight

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of her husband’s murder and pledged to continue his work. During an interview, Navalnaya, an economist who had left her job for raising her kids, said that the most important thing “we can do for Alexei and for ourselves is to continue to fight more desperately, more fiercely than before.”

In a nine minute video on Monday, 47-year-old Navalnaya, said: “Three days ago, Vladimir Putin killed my husband Alexei Navalny, the father of my children and took away the most important thing I had. The person who was closest to me and whom I loved most.” She also accused the authorities of hiding her husband’s body, stating that they told Navalny’s mother that his body will not be handed over to family for two weeks as they are conducting chemical analysis.

Navalny, who has been Putin’s most prolific critic for over a decade, was confirmed dead by the opposition on Saturday. Earlier, the Western leaders, including US President Joe Biden have blamed Putin for Navalny’s death, which Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said were “arrogant” and “unacceptable.”

During her interview, Navalnaya also said, “When you are not a politician but you see the darkest things against your family then, of course, it radicalizes you.” She pledged to continue her husband’s work and fight against the authorities more fiercely than before in response to her husband’s apparent murder. The widow’s accusations towards Putin, as well as her determination to continue her husband’s work, have sparked international attention and controversy.

Yulia Navalnaya’s accusations, as well as the ongoing situation surrounding Alexei Navalny’s death, have raised questions about the future of the opposition movement in Russia and the potential international repercussions. The tensions between Putin and the Western leaders, as well as the determination of Navalnaya to continue her husband’s work, have highlighted the complex political landscape in Russia and its implications on both national and international levels.