The Russian opposition leader, who died earlier this month, made the remarks in a 2020 interview acquired by Sky News. He also spoke of his hopes for Russia and the risks he knew he was taking.

Alexei Navalny once hit out at the “corrupt officials” living in London who allegedly help Vladimir Putin’s regime stash dirty money, Sky News can reveal.

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He made the comments in an interview four years before his death in a penal colony north of the Arctic Circle.

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The interview was conducted in February 2020 and is believed to be one of the last that Mr Navalny would give while in full health.

In August that year he was poisoned while on a flight back to Moscow.

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The interview, acquired by Sky News and broadcast for the first time, was shot as part of an unaired documentary series, After The Fall, directed by Matthew Torne and produced by Andrew Duncan.

“The West does nothing at all, I would say. There are some ritual dances, but nothing really happens,” Mr Navalny says.

"Why do corrupt officials still live in London? Because these corrupt officials feed a huge number of wonderful London lawyers.

“These people, they will appear very civilised, we will be pleased to chat with them if they sit next to us, they will be wearing a tie and fine manners, and at the same time they are serving the interests of utter, complete bandits.”