(CN) — Occasionally breaking out into shouts of “No to war,” “Russia will be free” and “Putin is a murderer,” thousands of people convened at a church and cemetery in southern Moscow to pay their respects to Alexei Navalny, the celebrated Russian opposition figure who died inside a Siberian prison two weeks ago.
Under heavy police presence and surveillance cameras, the throngs of people who attended Navalny's funeral were hailed by Western media and critics of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a daring show of democratic hope in the face of an increasingly repressive state that has made criticism of the invasion of Ukraine a crime.
Russian state media gave no or scant mention of the funeral, but it was heavily covered by international news outlets and by Russia's independent media, much of which has been forced to leave the country. Navalny was serving a 19-year sentence after he and his supporters were labeled as extremists. Pro-Putin forces accused Navalny of being a U.S.-backed agent seeking to overthrow the Russian state.
The day's events provided emotional scenes as mourners of all ages, dressed in winter clothes, carried flowers and patiently waited in lines and passed through metal detectors to pay their respects at his casket and grave. Supporters hurled flowers over the heads of police as a hearse carrying Navalny's body passed by.
After his coffin was lowered into the ground, the music of Terminator 2, one of Navalny's favorite movies, was played. In that movie, the music plays over a scene where Arnold Schwarzenegger — this time in the role of a benevolent android — chooses to self-destruct to save humanity by sinking into a vat of molten steel. As he descends into the vat, he gives a thumbs up.
“We just don’t have any more politicians like him,” Maria, a 55-year-old librarian, told the French news agency AFP. She said she was both “afraid and sad.”
“I don’t see anything illegal in coming to say goodbye to a great man,” Maxim, a 43-year-old information technology specialist, told AFP.
There were reports of arrests of Navalny supporters seeking to attend the funeral, though it appeared police did not make arrests during the ceremonies. However, people holding memorials to Navalny elsewhere across Russia were detained, according to news reports.
A number of foreign diplomats, including the American, German, French and European Union ambassadors in Russia, took part in the ceremonies. Navalny's death has outraged Western leaders and reignited Western resolve to stand behind Kyiv in its fight to push back Russian forces seeking to seize parts of eastern Ukraine.
“His death is a tragic reminder of the lengths the Kremlin will go to silence its critics,” the U.S. Embassy in Moscow said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to his family, friends, supporters, and all those he has inspired to work for a brighter future.”
“Navalny’s beliefs will not disappear — ideas cannot be tortured, poisoned or killed. He remains an inspiration for many in Russia and beyond,” said Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat, on social media.
His body was buried at the Borisov Cemetery after a funeral service at the nearby Mother of God Quench My Sorrows church. His mother and father, Lyudmila and Anatoly, were in attendance and leaned over his open coffin to kiss him for a last time as a band played music. His wife, Yulia Navalnaya, and two children did not come to Russia for the funeral out of fear for their personal safety.
Since his death, Navalnaya has vowed to carry on his political struggles and she has been championed by Western leaders as the new standard-bearer of Russia's opposition. In a speech to the European Parliament on Wednesday, Navalnaya called Putin a “bloody mobster” who must be removed from power.
On the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Navalnaya posted a goodbye message to her late husband, whom she called “Lyosha,” a nickname for Alexei.
“Lyosha, thank you for 26 years of absolute happiness,” she wrote. “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,” she said. “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.”
Video streams provided by Navalny's supporters and foreign media outlets showed crowds break into chants against Russia's war in Ukraine and denouncing Putin as a murderer.
Navalnaya and her allies accuse Putin of ordering Navalny's death and having him poisoned in prison. Navalny survived an apparent poisoning by a Soviet-era nerve agent in August 2020. He was flown to Germany to receive medical treatment and returned to Russia after his recovery in January 2021 only to be immediately arrested.
Russian state media said he died of a detached blood clot. But Navalny's body was placed under state custody for more than a week after his death on Feb. 16, raising suspicions. Western leaders have called for an independent investigation.
Navalny was a charismatic and media savvy politician who rose to prominence by leading large protests against Putin in 2011 and 2012. He became one of Putin's fiercest critics and garnered support through his campaigns to expose corruption.
Courthouse News reporter Cain Burdeau is based in the European Union.
Follow @cainburdeau
Subscribe to Closing Arguments
Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.
Additional Reads
-
-
GOP sues Nevada over late mail-in ballots May 3, 2024
