In the year following the demise of Aleksei A. Navalny, individuals linked to his organization in Russia have been persistently pursued by the Russian government. Navalny would have turned 48 in June of the year he passed away, marked by a meeting at his tombstone in Moscow. The opposition leader’s life ended in a prison located above the Arctic Circle in Russia during the early months of 2024.
Half a year subsequent to Navalny’s death, Konstantin A. Kotov, startled from sleep by a disturbance at his residence in Moscow, discovered his home under attack. Russian law enforcement officials had forced their entry, proceeding to seize all materials linked to the late opposition leader. These items ranged from a souvenir pin from Navalny’s 2018 presidential run to a book authored by his sibling.
Following the confiscation of his belongings, Kotov was taken into custody. His purported infraction had been a donation of around $30 made three years prior to Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Fund, a group that is identified as extremist by the Kremlin. Navalny’s death, one year prior, had already inflicted a substantial detriment to Russian opposition movements which were already under substantial pressure.
The impact of Navalny’s death echoed through the ranks of the opposition, causing a significant number to seek refuge overseas. This move came in response to an increase in measures suppressing dissent, a trend that commenced preceding President Vladimir V. Putin’s annexation of Ukraine in 2022 and intensified with the onset of the conflict.
Yet, despite the demise of Navalny and the fragmentation of his movement, those still operating within Russia who had established ties to him or his organization have continued to face relentless pursuit by the government. There is ongoing debate among observers as to why these prosecutions persist.
Some argue that these prosecutions occur as a result of a repressive apparatus in Russia, perpetually executing its programmed tasks. On the other hand, a faction believes that the continuing presence of Navalny’s legacy fuels Moscow’s concern, hence their relentless actions.
Sergei S. Smirnov, the chief editor of Mediazona, a media outlet now operating in exile, shares his view on the issue. He posits that the actions taken against supporters of this movement seem to be driven more by routine rather than the initiation of a fresh campaign.