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, a…