An Exclusive Chat With My Friend, Marina Litvinenko

On Putin, Navalny, Hopes for the Future, Women in Russian Politics and the Power of Storytelling

A few days ago, the world was told that Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny had died in prison. We may all have been shocked, but sadly, not surprised. With a Russian election just weeks away, it was obvious to many of us what had happened.

Navalny’s wife, Yulia, gave a comment to the press within hours, bravely standing behind a podium announcing how she had been in two minds whether to speak to the world’s press or to go home to her children. She chose the former because it was what her husband would have done.

Yulia this week announcing that she would take her husband’s place in opposition to Putin

This week, she publicly accused Putin of orchestrating his murder. His mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, is keeping a vigil outside of the Siberian prison where he was held for the last three years demanding the release of his body. Both of these brave woman know that if Navalny was poisoned with Novichok (the same as happened to him in 2020) by the time the authorities release his body, all traces may have disappeared.

But we know, the world knows, because tragically we have seen this so many times before.

And one woman knows only two well what Yulia is going through right now, is my friend Marina Litvinenko. Marina and I met last Summer to work together on her forthcoming book which is currently on submission. Marina’s husband, Alexander – or Sacha, as he was known to her – was poisoned in London in 2006. An ex-FSB agent who had started speaking out against the Kremlin, he became a dissident and the family were forced to flee from Russia as Sacha – like Alexei – had been imprisoned on spurious charges over and over again, and his fear was that unless he left, he would be killed in prison.

Sadly, it turned out he was not safe in London either. You may remember this photo of him, in his last days, as he lay in a hospital bed and accused Putin of his murder.

In the days after his death, Marina found herself forced onto the world stage – just as Yulia has. She vowed then to continue her husband’s fight for justice, to hold Putin accountable for his death, and was determined that Sacha would not die in vain. Her fight continues to this day.

Marina, Sacha and their son Anatoly when they arrived in London

On Monday, Yulia Navalnaya announced that she would also take the baton and continue her husband’s work, she asked the Russian people to stand with her.

My business, as you know, is storytelling, and I am in awe of these brave women who have – even in the face of danger to their own lives – made a promise to honour the memories of their husbands, the fathers of their children, to tell their stories and fight for the truth.

I asked Marina if she would spare some time to chat with me and to tell you a little of her own story, and how recent world events have left her feeling, because of course this undoubtedly brings back memories for her.

In this fascinating and exclusive chat for my subscribers she talks about how she coped in the immediate aftermath of Sacha’s death, how she came to the decision to speak out and continue his work, how she believes that women have a special strength to speak truth to power, and of her hopes for a new Russia – potentially lead by Yulia. We can but hope.

“I think it’s a special woman power [to speak out],” Marina told me during our chat. “It’s something that women think and do differently, it’s all about protection. [That’s] why I hope Yulia [will now] become the leader of Russian opposition – she might bring some difference.”

When all seems lost in life, what we still have is our voice. We can use it to speak the truth on a domestic stage, or a world stage – as these brave women have.

We tell stories to change the world, to make it better. It is our power as people – let’s not forget that, none of us.

So enough of me, let’s hear from Marina. You can watch the video of our interview, or listen ‘on the go’ to the audio…

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