Navalny’s death at age 47 has deprived the Russian opposition of its most well-known and inspiring politician less than a month before an election that will give President Vladimir Putin another six years in power.
Although neither the imprisoned anti-corruption crusader nor other Kremlin critics were in position to challenge Putin for the presidency, the loss of Navalny was a crushing blow to Russians who had pinned their future hopes on Putin’s seemingly indefatigable foe. It also prompted questions about what killed him.
A note handed to Navalny’s mother stated that he died at 2:17 p.m. local time Friday, according to Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh. Prison officials told his mother when she arrived at his former penal colony Saturday that her son had perished due to “sudden death syndrome,” Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Putin just created a martyr, and that is what will bring him down.
Let’s hope. That’s the only reason I can think of why Navalny didn’t seek asylum after the first poisoning.
Historically it’s what happens. The people try to grieve > it gets shut down > anger festers > riots and bombings occur > etc etc etc
The other part of this is Putin’s armed forces, who he could have counted on for support 3 years ago, has been decimated … as have all his rich and powerful supporters.
His arrogance and stupidity has made him vulnerable and I, for one, am glad to see it.
Sudden Death Syndrome sounds sorta like Excited Delirium. In fact, they both involve a person dying mysteriously while under the control of an authority figure. Checks out.
In death, the idea and virtues of Navalny will continue to grow as an anti Putin symbol which can never be defeated.
Classic mistake, Vlad
I don’t know about what his wife said in Russian, but to me when she states (poor paraphrasing) “what they did to Russia and what they did to my husband” the fact that she put Russia first is entirely on purpose.
Well, his role as a symbol is more likely to resonate with people than ‘random fuck dead, more at 11’. From what I understand, most semi-intelligent people in Russia know how fucked it is anyway, it probably helps to appeal to that.
Despots and dictators always think they can squash dissent. Then a bullet shatters their skull, they drink the wrong beverage, or a balcony proves unreliable.
Sic semper tyrranis, sic semper Trumpus
Nothing will change until “good” Russians start ambush killing FSB enforcers, en masse.
It bothers me that people refuse to accept this. Our oppressors rape and murder us knowing we are pacified because any act of aggression would mean we aren’t “civilized”.
Do nothing and nothing will change.
Ridding Russia of Putin would be one of the most civilized things I can think of, no matter how many of his goons die in the process.
I fear the soviet rot has corrupted it’s people too deeply. I don’t know if the people have the time or energy to be “good”.
Or the weapons. Have to imagine there’s a pretty wide disparity between the police and average citizens. If Prigozhin/Wagner couldn’t get it done, it’s not exactly a simple task for some politically progressive average folks.
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the credibility of Russian elections is a direct, clear statement to the rest of the world about the credibility of Russians in general
