Alexei Navalny
Alexei Anatolyevich Navalny was born on the 4th of June 1976 in Butyn, a rural locality within the Odintsovsky District of the Moscow Oblast. His mother Lyudmila Ivanovna Navalnaya hailed from Zelenograd while his father Anatoly Ivanovich came from Zalissia near the Belarus, Ukraine border. The family moved to Obninsk where Alexei grew up spending summers with his grandparents until age eight. He acquired proficiency in Ukrainian during these childhood years. Media outlets frequently asked him whether he identified more as Russian or Ukrainian. In his posthumously published memoir Patriot he stated it felt like being asked who you loved more your mother or your father. Navalny graduated from Kalininets secondary school in 1993 before earning a law degree from Peoples' Friendship University of Russia in 1998. He later studied securities and exchanges at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation graduating in 2001. A scholarship to Yale World Fellows program arrived in 2010 following recommendations from Garry Kasparov Yevgeniya Albats and Sergey Guriev. At Yale he aimed to create a global network of emerging leaders and broaden international understanding.
Navalny worked as a corporate lawyer for various Russian companies starting in 1998. By 2009 he became an advocate and member of the advocate's chamber of Kirov Oblast with registration number 43/547. After moving to Moscow in 2010 he ceased membership there and joined the Moscow branch with registration number 77/9991. His legal career ended when he was deprived of advocate status in November 2013 after the Kirovles case judgment entered into force. In 2000 he joined the Russian United Democratic Party Yabloko following new election laws that raised thresholds. Navalny stated he was not a big fan of either organization but decided to join anyway. He became listed as a party member in 2001 and elected to the regional council of the Moscow branch by 2002. By April 2004 he served as Chief of Staff of the Moscow branch until February 2007 while also holding Deputy Chief positions. From 2006 to 2007 he sat on the Federal Council of the party. In August 2005 he gained admission to the Social Council of the Central Administrative Okrug before participating in the Moscow City Duma election as a candidate. That same month he initiated Youth Public Chamber to help younger politicians take part in legislative initiatives. Later in 2005 he launched another youth social movement named DA! , Democratic Alternative unrelated to any political party.
In 2008 Navalny sought activist shareholder status in five major oil companies including Rosneft Gazprom and Lukoil investing 300,000 rubles. His goal involved increasing transparency of financial assets though allegations existed regarding high-level managers resisting such measures. November 2010 saw publication of confidential documents about Transneft's auditing showing approximately US$4 billion stolen during pipeline construction. December 2010 marked launch of RosPil project exploiting procurement regulations requiring online posting of tender requests. The name RosPil punned on slang term распил meaning sawing implying embezzlement of state funds. May 2011 introduced RosYama allowing individuals to report potholes while tracking government responses. August 2011 revealed scandalous real estate deal between Hungary and Russia where Viktor Vekselberg's offshore company bought property for US$21 million then resold it to Russian government for US$116 million despite estimated value of only US$52 million. Three Hungarian officials responsible were detained February 2011. February 2012 concluded investigation into Ramzan Kadyrov's Chechen Interior Ministry spending described as shadowy and fraudulent. May 2012 accused Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov of corruption involving transfers from Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov companies totaling tens of millions of dollars. July 2012 posted documents allegedly showing Alexander Bastrykin owned undeclared business in Czech Republic.
On the 3rd of June 2013 Navalny announced candidacy for Moscow mayoral election after Sergey Sobyanin requested snap elections following meeting with President Vladimir Putin. To become official candidate he needed either seventy thousand signatures or pegging by registered party RPR, PARNAS which provided him forty-nine signatures among six candidates. On the 18th of July 2013 sentenced to five-year prison term for embezzlement charges declared in 2012 he pulled out of race calling for boycott before later returning pending appeal. His campaign raised 103.4 million rubles with 97.3 million transferred by individuals throughout Russia unprecedented amount in Russian history. Around twenty thousand volunteers distributed leaflets hung banners held rallies daily forming main driving force behind effort. The New Yorker described resulting campaign miracle alongside his release fundraising success and personality itself. Final results showed Navalny received 27% vote more than candidates appointed by parties receiving second through fifth highest results during 2011 parliamentary elections combined. Turnout reached only 32% while Sobyanin won with 51%. On the 9th of September following election day Navalny publicly denounced tally claiming results fake though Supreme Court ruled them legitimate. December 2016 announced entry into presidential race despite repeated court sentences threatening future registration as candidate. March 2017 saw series anti-corruption rallies across ninety-five cities plus four abroad including London Prague Basel Bonn. April 2017 attack outside office sprayed brilliant green dye damaging eyes causing loss of eighty percent sight in right eye.
July 2012 Investigative Committee charged Navalny with embezzlement conspiring to steal timber from Kirovles state-owned company in 2009 acting as adviser to governor Nikita Belykh. Charges deemed weird unfounded by Navalny who stated authorities doing it watch reaction protest movement Western public opinion. April 2013 Loeb & Loeb LLP issued analysis concluding Kremlin reverted misuse Russian legal system harass isolate attempt silence political opponents. Trial commenced city of Kirov the 17th of April 2013 sentencing five years jail for misappropriating about sixteen million rubles worth lumber found guilty July 18. Prosecutor's Office appealed sentence next morning granted releasing Navalny and Ofitserov awaiting higher court hearings described unprecedented by experts. October 2013 suspended prison sentence still burdening political future. February 2016 European Court Human Rights ruled Russia violated fair trial rights ordering government pay fifty-six thousand euros legal costs damages. November 2016 Supreme Court overturned 2013 sending verdict back Leninsky District Court Kirov review. February 2017 repeated original sentence charging five-year suspended sentence announced pursuit annulment contradicting ECHR decision. December 2014 Yves Rocher case conviction fraud money laundering three years suspended sentence plus fine compensation over four million rubles paid later. October 2017 European Court Human Rights ruled conviction based unforeseeable application criminal law proceedings arbitrary unfair violating articles six seven European Convention Human Rights.
the 20th of August 2020 Navalny fell ill during flight Tomsk to Moscow hospitalised Emergency City Clinical Hospital No. 1 Omsk plane emergency landing. Condition sudden violent video footage showed crewmembers scurrying towards him screaming loudly though he said not pain knowledge dying. Spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh stated coma ventilator in Omsk hospital consuming nothing cup tea acquired airport. Initially suspected something mixed drink toxin absorbed rapidly physicians declared stable serious condition. Police personnel appeared outside room medical staff less forthcoming deputy chief physician called poisoning one scenario among many considered. Plane sent Germany evacuate treatment Charité Hospital Berlin doctors initially declared too sick transport later released. August 24 German doctors confirmed cholinesterase inhibitor poison September 2 government announced Novichok nerve agent same family used Sergei Skripal daughter. September 7 German doctors announced out coma September 15 spokeswoman said return Russia expected. September 17 team detected traces nerve agent empty water bottle hotel room Tomsk suggesting possibly poisoned before leaving hotel. September 23 discharged hospital after condition sufficiently improved October 6 OPCW confirmed presence cholinesterase inhibitor Novichok group blood urine samples. December 14 joint investigation The Insider Bellingcat CNN Der Spiegel implicated agents Federal Security Service FSB special unit chemical substances tracked members using telecom travel data.
the 17th of January 2021 Navalny flew Germany to Russia Pobeda airlines flight DP936 scheduled land Moscow Vnukovo Airport diverted mid-flight Sheremetyevo International Airport detained passport control Federal Penitentiary Service confirmed custody until court hearing violating probation terms leaving Russia. February 2021 court decision ordered detention until fifteen February replacing three-and-a-half-year suspended sentence with prison term over years corrective labour colony condemned United States United Kingdom Germany France EU governments. January 23 protests began across Russia following publication investigation accusing President Vladimir Putin corruption building massive estate near Gelendzhik Krasnodar Krai called world's biggest bribe costing over hundred billion rubles constructing. March 2021 European Union United States imposed sanctions senior Russian officials response poisoning imprisonment. April 2021 hunger strike demand proper medical treatment six doctors including personal physician Anastasia Vasilyeva arrested outside prison attempting visit health significantly deteriorated. April 17 reported immediate need medical attention increased risk fatal cardiac arrest kidney failure blood potassium levels seven point one millimoles per liter requiring immediate treatment. August 2023 received another sentence nineteen years extremism charges December 2023 missing from prison almost three weeks re-emerged Arctic Circle corrective colony Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. 2024 Russian prison service reported Navalny died sparking protests both Russia various other countries accusations against Putin government connection death made many Western governments international organisations.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When was Alexei Navalny born and where did he grow up?
Alexei Anatolyevich Navalny was born on the 4th of June 1976 in Butyn within the Odintsovsky District of the Moscow Oblast. He grew up in Obninsk spending summers with his grandparents until age eight.
What legal career did Alexei Navalny have before becoming a full-time activist?
Alexei Navalny worked as a corporate lawyer for various Russian companies starting in 1998 after earning a law degree from Peoples' Friendship University of Russia in 1998. His legal career ended when he was deprived of advocate status in November 2013 following the Kirovles case judgment.
How did Alexei Navalny die according to the 2024 report?
The 2024 Russian prison service reported that Alexei Navalny died while serving time in an Arctic Circle corrective colony in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. His death sparked protests across Russia and other countries with accusations linking it to the Putin government.
What happened to Alexei Navalny during the flight from Tomsk to Moscow in August 2020?
On the 20th of August 2020 Alexei Navalny fell ill during a flight from Tomsk to Moscow requiring an emergency landing in Omsk. German doctors later confirmed he had been poisoned with Novichok nerve agent which is the same family used on Sergei Skripal.
Why was Alexei Navalny sentenced to five years in prison in April 2013?
Alexei Navalny received a five-year prison sentence for embezzlement charges related to stealing timber from the state-owned company Kirovles in 2009. The trial commenced in Kirov on the 17th of April 2013 where he was found guilty of misappropriating about sixteen million rubles worth of lumber.