The funeral in Moscow of Russian opponent Alexei Navalny, who died on February 16 at the age of 47 in a prison in the Arctic Circle, has become a massive demonstration of grief and rejection of the Kremlin forces this Friday, despite strict security controls. Authorities wanted a secret funeral and threatened the dissident's mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, that they would bury him in the prison yard if she did not agree. The body was only handed over to him eight days after an as yet unexplained death – the official certificate speaks of a “natural death”. Thousands of people went to the Utolí Mayá Pechali (in Russian) church in the Marino district southeast of Moscow and lined up to attend the ceremony, despite fearing arrest.
The incident was closely monitored by police, with riot police even patrolling three subway stations away from the scene. Once there, the entrance to the church was fenced off with several rows of fences and metal controls, in addition to the deployment of dozens of agents from the Interior Ministry and the National Guard, as well as other infiltrated members of the security services. .
“Absolute lack of respect”
Dozens of people had access inside the church. Lyudmila Navalnaya, 69, remained seated in the open coffin with a candle in her hands and her son's face. Only she and a few other relatives could approach the coffin. The authorities did not allow anyone to do this. As soon as the mother said goodbye to her son, several workers carried the coffin away to the cries of indignation from those present. “This is Satanism, it is immoral, in our culture it is a complete lack of respect for the dead,” one woman shouted.
Outside the church, Maxim, a 37-year-old man who had come with two other friends to say goodbye to the dissident, lamented during the hours-long wait: “There is no hope, it is impossible to resist inside Russia.” “Navalny is dead and his colleagues are imprisoned,” added this Muscovite, surprised by the dissident’s sudden death in a remote Arctic prison. “But it was still predictable,” he reflected.
The three friends sparingly recalled how they received the news of Navalni's death on February 16. “Terrifying,” said Maxim. “Very sad,” said Igor in turn. “Without words,” said Denis, 37, at the end. They had already taken part in the spontaneous tributes in which Russians laid flowers in Navalny's honor at monuments to victims of political repression after his death was announced.
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“We are of course afraid of being arrested,” said Denis. “Look at how many police officers there are,” he remarked, before recounting the tension they had experienced at previous honors. “Nothing happened to me, but a girl who was waiting in line was arrested. And I hadn’t done anything,” he recalled.
The parents of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny cry next to their son's coffin during his funeral at Borisov Cemetery. SERGEI ILNITSKY (EFE)
A Russian citizen shows a sign reading “Navalni died” during the funeral at the cemetery.Stringer (Portal)
Navalny's father, Anatoly Navalny, places a handful of earth on his son's coffin at Borisov Cemetery.AP/LaPresse
US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy (center) during the opponent's funeral in Moscow.AP/LaPresse
The parents and relatives of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny during the funeral at the Borisov cemetery.Portal
A man holds a picture of the opponent towards the cemetery. MAXIM SHIPENKOV (EFE)
Lyudmila Navalnaya, mother of opposition activist Alexei Navalny, says goodbye to her son at the Borissov cemetery.Portal
A crowd flocks to Borisov Cemetery during the funeral of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny in Moscow.Portal
This Friday, employees of the funeral home will transfer the coffin containing the body of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny to the Borisov Cemetery.Portal
During the funeral, police arrested a man near the cemetery.Portal
Visitors waiting outside the Utolí Mayá Pechali church throw roses and carnations as the hearse passes by after mass this Friday in Moscow.Anadolu/Getty Images
Transfer of Alexei Navalni's coffin after his funeral, this Friday in Moscow.AP/LaPresse
Family and friends of Alexei Navalni during his funeral this Friday in Moscow. Portal
Attendees at the funeral of opponent Navalny at the Utolí Mayá Pechali Church in Moscow.Portal
Lyudmila Navalnaya, mother of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, attends her son's funeral this Friday, March 1, at the Utolí Mayá Pechali Church in Moscow.Portal
The coffin with the body of Russian opponent Alexei Navalny during his funeral at the Utolí Maya Pechali Church in Moscow.Portal
Alexei Navalni's parents, Anatoli and Lyudmila, arrive at the Orthodox church where the funeral will take place.AP/LaPresse
French Ambassador to Moscow Pierre Levy (left) visits the Utolí Mayá Pechali Church in Moscow.Anadolu/Getty Images
Workers transport the coffin containing the remains of Alexei Navalny in Moscow this Wednesday. AP/LaPresse
US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy attends Alexei Navalny's funeral.Portal
Workers transport Alexei Navalny's coffin in Moscow this Friday. SERGEI ILNITSKY (EFE)
A woman holds red carnations in her hand in front of the Moscow church this Friday. MAXIM SHIPENKOV (EFE)
Dozens of people are waiting in front of the Orthodox Church in Moscow this Friday. Portal
A woman holds white carnations in front of the Moscow church this Friday. Portal
Arrival of the hearse with the remains of Alexei Navalny this Friday at the Orthodox Church in Moscow. Portal
Dozens of police officers guard the outside of the Orthodox church in Moscow's Mariino district this Friday.Portal
Russian citizens hold carnations in front of the Orthodox church to say goodbye to Russian opponent Alexei Navalny. Portal
Hundreds of people gathered around the Orthodox church where Alexei Navalni's funeral took place. SERGEI ILNITSKY (EFE)
The dissident's wife, Yulia Navalnaya, warned last Wednesday that Russian authorities could attack those attending the ceremony. During a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, in which she was visibly emotional, she warned: “I'm not sure if they will allow it to happen peacefully or if the police will arrest those who will say goodbye to my husband.” Navalnaya, who, like her two children, is outside of Russia, said goodbye to her husband on the social network Happiness. Yes, the last three years have also been happy. For the love, for always supporting me, for making me laugh even in prison, for always thinking about me.”
A volunteer from Navalny's team, Nadezhda, came to the doors of the church with a huge bouquet of flowers. “I will be leaving Russia in the next six months. After the elections it will be even worse [este mes se celebran presidenciales]. There is no hope at all,” he said in a whisper. “I knew Alexei and Yulia, his wife, for many years. “His death was a shock,” said Nadezhda with tears in her eyes.
The desperation was visible in the activist's words. “Alexei tried to change things in Russia peacefully and legally. “I don't want to say it, no… It scares me to think about it, but I just see that change within the country can be possible through weapons.” “These bandits leave no other choice, they do not allow peaceful opposition said the volunteer.
I have been successful for 26 years. Yes, it's been three weeks already. I love it, for making a child do it, for making it hard for me, for the reason I don't know what I mean.
I don't know what I have to do, but I haven't done it, but they are, of course… pic.twitter.com/ybF31AuD47
— Yulia Navalnaya (@yulia_navalnaya) March 1, 2024
Navalny's entourage has accused President Vladimir Putin of being behind the death of the dissident, who survived several attacks, including a poisoning with the nerve agent Novichok in 2020 (attributed to Russian intelligence services), which left him on the brink of death. After recovering in Germany, he decided to return to Russia, which was what happened, despite the risk of imprisonment. Navalny served a thirty-year prison sentence after being accused of “supporting extremism.” The organization he headed, the Anti-Corruption Foundation, was declared a “foreign agent.”
The dissident circle also claimed that the Kremlin was allegedly negotiating to swap him for a Russian spy killer imprisoned in Germany. The Kremlin has denied state involvement in his death and said it was unaware of any agreement to release Navalny.
Yelena, 53, with four roses in her hand – an even number of flowers is a tradition at Russian funerals – said around the funeral: “We always had the feeling that Navalny could be saved.” The Anti-Corruption Foundation team did everything they could and we thought they could replace him. “The Kremlin killed him with its own hands,” he claimed. “I don’t know if he killed him slowly or directly, but [el Kremlin] “He’s responsible,” he said.
Yelena came to Moscow from a “day and a half trip” from her small town in the Urals to say goodbye to Navalny. She was accompanied by 52-year-old Victoria. “One day there will be a great uprising and a better, exciting future will come, but now there is only darkness, oppression and terror.” “It's morally very hard,” said Victoria, also from outside Moscow. “A lot of people didn’t come out of fear,” Yelena said. “And people didn’t know that the funeral was in this church today.”
After the ceremony was performed according to Orthodox rites, the coffin was placed in a van and taken to Borisov Cemetery, in the same Marino district where the activist lived before he was poisoned with Novichok. The dozens of people who gained access to the church were joined by thousands of other devotees waiting outside to walk the mile-long route that separates the church from the cemetery.
The farewell passed without incident, but at least two opposition politicians were arrested separately on the subway as they left the scene. Mikhail Shneider, former vice president of the PARNAS party, which was liquidated by the Kremlin last year; and Andréi Morev, vice president of the Moscow branch of Yábloko, a group still active in the country. Both reported their arrests but gave no reasons.
Navalny had condemned Putin's decision to attack Ukraine as a crazy venture based on lies. The church where his funeral took place donated to the Russian army and enthusiastically announced its support for the war, according to Portal. A paradoxical situation given the huge pacifist majority that came this Friday to say goodbye to Navalni. “All we have left is applause,” one woman sighed as the dissident’s coffin received the ovation of his supporters, now orphaned by a leader in Russia.
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