19 February 2024 , 20:50
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The wife of the late Alexei Navalny has taken over her husband's role as Vladimir Putin's enemy number one - and the warmonger should be worried.
Navalny was first imprisoned in 2013 after he was stitched up in an embezzlement case that his supporters denounced as politically motivated. But following his death on Friday, his heartbroken wife has vowed to carry on his work. Yulia Navalnaya, who powerfully promised "these b******s will never see our tears" when her hubby was first imprisoned, has said that she will continue with Alexei's efforts to topple Vladimir Putin's regime.
In a YouTube video she announced: "By killing Alexei, Putin killed half of me, half of my heart, and half of my soul. But I still have the other half, and it tells me that I have no right to give up. I will continue Alexei Navalny’s cause.”
On the day of Navalny's death, his wife did not remain inside in mourning, but instead was seen deep in conversation with other lawmakers, fuelling suspicions about her own political designs.
Her YouTube statement surprised many because she had spent years denying she planned to start a political career of her own. The couple first met in 1998 on holiday in Turkey, having their first daughter, Dasha, several years later. After her daughter's birth, Navalnaya became a stay-at-home mum.
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
In a previous interview during Navalny's incarceration with Harper's Bazaar, she portrayed herself as a dilligent housewife, saying: "My main task is for our family to stay the same, despite everything." However, many say she was fundamental in shaping her husband's views. Navalny was serving a three-decade term when he died suddenly last week. Prison bosses told his heartbroken mother he had died as a result of "sudden death syndrome".
The Russian activist, who was once Putin's main political opponent, is said to have dropped ill after a walk. However, suspicion grew on whether the leader had something to do with his death as his enemies are often known to disappear, get locked up, or die in mysterious circumstances. Navalny's body was reportedly found covered in bruises which further sparked concerns on his actual cause of death. He died on Friday at Artic prison in Kharp, Russia.
The Federal Penitentiary Service of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District stated his death. A spokesperson said: "On Feb. 16, 2024, in penal colony number 3, convict Navalny A.A. felt unwell after a walk, almost immediately losing consciousness. The medical staff of the institution arrived immediately, and an ambulance team was called. All necessary resuscitation measures were carried out, which did not give positive results. Doctors of the ambulance stated the death of the convict. The causes of death are being established."
A paramedic revealed his ambulance colleagues noticed bruises on Navalny’s body, which was under police guard in the morgue at Salekhard clinical hospital. It comes after it was reported that his wounds were consistent with a “seizure”, according to Novaya Gazeta Europe.
The paramedic explained: "Such damage occurs from convulsions. The person is convulsing, they are trying to restrain him, but the convulsions can be very strong, and that’s why bruises appear.” There were also indications that staff had tried to resuscitate the activist due to there being signs of "chest compressions”. The paramedic added: “That is, they still tried to resuscitate him, and he died, most likely, from cardiac arrest. But why did this stop happening, no one is saying anything yet.”