By Jennifer Odell
7:00pm PST, Mar 7, 2024
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Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny — Vladimir Putin's most vocal critic — died on Feb. 16 in the Arctic penal colony where he was serving multiple sentences, according to Russia's Federal Penitentiary Service. On March 1 — following an eight-day standoff between Navalny's mother and authorities after they initially declined to release his body — his funeral was held in Moscow, where he was also buried as thousands of mourners took to the streets to honor his legacy (see a funeral photo next).
Before he died, Navalny reportedly "felt unwell after a walk and almost immediately lost consciousness," Russian officials said in a statement, per TheHill.com. "All necessary resuscitation measures were taken, which did not lead to positive results."
He'd recently appeared in video footage from a court hearing looking healthy and in good spirits.
The lawyer and anti-corruption activist, 47, was reportedly subjected to brutal and potentially lethal living conditions in prison, where he was routinely relegated to frigid "punishment cells" without access to medical care, according to The New York Times. Journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitri A. Muratov wrote in a column on Feb. 16 that Navalny had been "subjected to torment and torture for three years."
He was being held on charges including "extremism" and fraud that he incurred after he was poisoned with a nerve agent while in Germany in 2020. The European Court of Human Rights has blasted the charges against him as "arbitrary and manifestly unreasonable."
According to an X post from Ivan Zhdanov, who leads Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, Navalny's mother and others were told he died of "sudden death syndrome," though that hasn't been confirmed.
Navalny's death came as world leaders were assembling in Germany for the Munich Security Conference. The update quickly took center stage at the conference, on social media and beyond, in spite of an initial period of uncertainty about whether authorities' claims were true.
Keep reading to see how public figures around the globe reacted to Navalny's death — and what they're saying about Vladimir Putin — and to see a funeral photo and more…
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Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was laid to rest on March 1, 2024 — two weeks after his death was announced by Russia's prison service — in Moscow after his family was finally allowed to take custody of his body from Russian officials.
Following a funeral service at the Mother of God Quench My Sorrows church in Moscow's district of Maryino, Navalny's parents, Lyudmila Navalnaya and Anatoly Navalny (seen here seated in the front row opposite his casket), led mourners to the Borisovsky cemetery in Moscow for their son's burial.
There was a strong Russian police presence surrounding the funeral and burial as thousands of mourners gathered and placed flowers to honor the late leader.
MORE: Trump's relationship with Putin and Russia: A history explained
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Alexei Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya — who's in exile with their children — did not attend his funeral and burial. She did, however, post a video on X documenting their life together, captioning it with a loving message.
"Lyosha," she began — using a nickname for her husband — in the post, as translated from Russian by Google, "thank you for 26 years of absolute happiness. Yes, even over the last three years of happiness. For love, for always supporting me, for making me laugh even from prison, for the fact that you always thought about me.
"I don't know how to live without you, but I will try to make you up there happy for me and proud of me. I don't know if I can handle it or not, but I will try.
"We will definitely meet one day. I have so many untold stories for you, and I have so many songs saved for you on my phone, stupid and funny, in general, to be honest, terrible songs, but they are about us, and I really wanted to let you listen to them. And I really wanted to watch you listen to them, laugh, and then hug me.
"Love you forever. Rest in peace."
Yulia is seen here speaking to European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, two days before her husband's funeral and burial.
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Supporters across Europe, in the United States and around the world gathered to mourn Alexei Navalny's death on Feb. 16 and in the days beyond, erecting memorials and demonstrating with signs that branded Vladimir Putin a "killer" and a "dictator."
In Russia, police detained hundreds of mourners and protesters — "at least 340 people in 30 cities" according to the rights tracker OVD Info (via The New York Times). In Moscow, "piles of flowers" that were set out at the Wall of Grief in Navalny's honor were taken away overnight by city officials, the Times reported.
"We demand for Alexei Navalny's body to be released to his family immediately," said Navalny's spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, in a statement on X. "They lie and they do everything not to give out the body," she added.
She revealed Russian investigators had moved Navalny's body from the Arctic penal colony to Salekhard, where they said they were examining it.
"Three and a half years ago Putin tried to kill Aleksei," Yarmysh said in a video statement, referring to the nerve gas poisoning Navalny suffered in 2020. "Yesterday, he killed him."
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"The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country. It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction," Donald Trump, who is facing 91 felony charges in four separate investigations, wrote on Truth Social on Feb. 19. "Open Borders, Rigged Elections, and Grossly Unfair Courtroom Decisions are DESTROYING AMERICA. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE, A FAILING NATION!" —Donald Trump on Truth Social, more than three days after Navalny's death
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Days after releasing a softball interview with Russia's president Vladimir Putin, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson issued this statement to DailyMail.com reacting to the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny: "It's horrifying what happened to Navalny. The whole thing is barbaric and awful. No decent person would defend it."
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During U2's performance at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Feb. 17, Bono paid homage to Alexei Navalny by leading the audience in a long chant of the late activist's name.
"Next week it'll be two years since Putin invaded and tried to destroy the hard-won freedoms [of the Ukrainian people]," Bono told the crowd, according to Deadline.
"Next it'll be Poland, next it'll be Lithuania, East Germany; who knows where this man will or won't go. To these people freedom is not just a word in a song. For these people freedom is the most important word in the world — so important that Ukrainians are fighting and dying for it. And it's so important that Alexei Navalny chose to give his up."
He added, "Apparently Putin would never, ever say his name. So I thought tonight, the people who believe in freedom must say his name. Not just remember it, but say it."
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Former Rep. Liz Cheney appeared on CNN's "State of the Union on Feb. 18, where she was asked about Donald Trump's failure to comment on Alexei Navalny's death. She warned that "the issue [for] this election cycle is making sure that the Putin wing of the Republican Party does not take over the West Wing of the White House."
Cheney then referenced Trump's recent claim he'd "encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want" to a NATO member country that hadn't satisfied its defense spending benchmark.
"When you think about Donald Trump, for example, pledging retribution, what Vladimir Putin did to Navalny is what retribution looks like in a country where a leader is not subject to the rule of law," she said.
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Alexei Navalny's wife, Yulia Navalnaya, gave an unexpected speech at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 16 following news of her husband's death.
"I don't know if we should believe the terrible news we have heard. We cannot believe Putin and his government because they lie incessantly," she said after being welcomed with a standing ovation, according to CNBC.
"But, if it is indeed true, then I would like to say the following: Putin and all those who work for him, his entire entourage, his friends, I want them to know that they will not go unpunished. They will be punished for what they have done to our country, for what they have done to my family, for what they have done to my husband. They will be held responsible and this day will come."
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"We don't know exactly what happened, but there is no doubt that the death of Nalvany was a consequence of something that Putin and his thugs did," President Joe Biden said at a White House news conference on Feb. 16, per Reuters.
"Russian authorities are going to tell their own story. But make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny's death," he continued. "What has happened to Navalny is even more proof of Putin's brutality. No one should be fooled."
He went on to praise Navalny's courage for returning to Russia after he was poisoned in Germany and continuing to fight the violence and corruption of Vladimir Putin's regime. The president also said he was "contemplating" further action to punish Russia, Reuters reported.
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"It is obvious: he was killed by Putin, as thousands of others were tortured and martyred by this one 'creature,'" Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters in at the security conference in Munich after the attack, according to U.S. News & World Report.
"Putin does not care who dies as long as he keeps his position," he continued. "And that is why he should not keep anything. Putin should lose everything and answer for what he has done."
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"First and foremost, if these reports are accurate, our hearts go out to his wife and his family," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Munich on Feb. 16, according to U.S. News & World Report.
"Beyond that, his death in a Russian prison and the fixation and fear of one man only underscores the weakness and rot at the heart of the system that Putin has built," he added. "Russia is responsible for this. We'll be talking to the many other countries concerned about Alexei Navalny, especially if these reports bear out to be true."
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"Putin did this. The same Putin who Donald Trump praises and defends. The same Trump who said: 'In all fairness to Putin, you're saying he killed people. I haven't seen that.'" —Former U.N. Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, a Republican candidate for president, wrote on X upon learning of the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny
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"We've all just received reports that Alexei Navalny has died in Russia. This is of course terrible news, which we are working to confirm," Vice President Kamala Harris said as she began her keynote remarks at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 16, according to TheHill.com.
"My prayers are with his family, including his wife Yulia, who is with us today," she continued. "If confirmed, this would be a further sign of Putin's brutality. Whatever story they tell, let us be clear: Russia is responsible, and we will have more to say on this later."
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"This is what Putin's Russia is, @TuckerCarlson. And you are Putin's useful idiot. Same with you @JDVance1 and other Putin-wing Republicans who are working to defeat Ukraine in its struggle for freedom." –Liz Cheney on X
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"Aleksey Navalny was a fearless advocate for his beliefs who died unbroken by the tyranny he opposed. He fought corruption, inspired millions and never wavered in his insistence on free expression, the rule of law, and a Russia that is accountable to the people and not a dictator. He died in unyielding defense of his vision of a better future for his country – a vision, and a courageous example, that will never die." –Barack Obama on X
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"Putin killed Navalny because he was afraid of him. But he cannot kill what Navalny so bravely stood for – freedom and democracy."
"@SpeakerJohnson @HouseGOP Ukrainians are fighting for their democracy and freedoms – the very values we cherish most, and that Putin fears. Ukrainian lives and freedom are in your hands." –Mia Farrow, in separate posts on X
Farrow also shared a clip of Tucker Carlson being asked at the World Government Summit on Feb. 12 why he failed to ask Vladimir Putin about Alexei Navalny's imprisonment.
"Every leader kills people, some kill more than others. Leadership requires killing people," Carlson replied in the widely circulated footage.
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"It's hard to find words… This is just horrible, awful news. Navalny is one of the great fighters for a free Russia and one of Putin's greatest enemies. He fought for a freedom and democracy against an evil murderous KGB dictatorship. May his memory be a beacon of hope for all. The blood is on Putins hands" –Meghan McCain on X
She later added, "Don't forget that Putins favorite useful idiot Kremlin propagandist Tucker Carlson didn't give a s*** about Navalny's life when asked about him a few days ago."
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"RIP Alexei Navalny, 47. A courageous hero who stood up to Putin, knowing it would almost certainly cost him his life – as it now has." —Piers Morgan on X
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"My deepest condolences to Alexei Navalny's family and friends, to his staff, and to the people of Russia," Hillary Clinton wrote on X, alongside this quote from Alexei Navalny: "Listen, I've got something very obvious to tell you. You're not allowed to give up. If they decide to kill me, it means that we are incredibly strong."
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"The whole world lost a fearless champion of democracy and freedom in Alexei Navalny. Sending sympathy and solidarity to his friends, family and supporters. History will record this staggering loss and the shocking human cost of Putin's reign of terror and corruption." –Rep. Jamie Raskin on X
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"This is terrible news. As the fiercest advocate for Russian democracy, Alexei Navalny demonstrated incredible courage throughout his life. My thoughts are with his wife and the people of Russia, for whom this is a huge tragedy." –British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on X
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"[Alexei Navalny] stood up for democracy and freedom in Russia – and apparently paid for his courage with his life. This terrible news shows once again how Russia has changed and what kind of regime is in power in Moscow" –Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz on X
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"Alexei Navalny paid with his life for his resistance to a system of oppressio. His death at a penal colony reminds us of the reality of Vladimir Putin's regime." –French foreign minister Stephane Sejourne on X
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"Alexei Navalny courageously exposed the corruption and lies of Putin's authoritarian regime. Now Putin has killed him for it. The Russian people deserve better." –Sen. Bernie Sanders on X
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"There is no room in the Republican Party for apologists for Putin. RIP Alexey Navalny." –Former Vice President Mike Pence on X
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"RIP @navalny – terrible horrible ghastly news – a great man is gone – murdered by Vladimir Putin for speaking the truth. … I feel so deeply honored to have know him and call him friend. His courage, integrity his commitment to justice in the face of a murderous dictator makes a farce of US gov leaders – if American leaders of our institutions gov press had 1% of @navalny's integrity and his b**** -Facism in this country would already be dead – More later when I have time to process – my condolences to his family and deep solidarity with all in Russia who knew and loved him." —John Cusack wrote, in part, on X
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"People in Moscow today lining up to lay flowers for Navalny, the only form of silent protest the state will tolerate today. You can see how shell-shocked they are" –Katie Couric, who also shared multiple videos including one Alexei Navalny left in case of his death, on X
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In an interview on NPR's "Morning Edition" on Feb. 16, National security adviser Jake Sullivan called Alexei Navalny's death a "terrible tragedy" and said, "Given the Russian government's long and sordid history of doing harm to its opponents, it raises real and obvious questions about what happened here."
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"How, after Navalny's death, can members of Congress not vote to fund Ukraine's fight against pure evil?" —former senator and "Saturday Night Live" star Al Franken
