Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny may be in a prison colony, but his anti-corruption foundation (FBK) said his exile would not hamper the pressure on political gains and would encourage Western governments to hurt the Russian elite.
“Putin’s seemingly stable regime is getting weaker by the day,” said FBK executive director Vladimir Ashurkov. Newsweek.
It definitely looks messy. Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that the European Union and the United States were talking about sanctions “with manic persistence”.
Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has warned that Moscow will retaliate against any US sanctions, suggesting that the Kremlin is raising serious concerns about the international response to a dramatic last month in Russia.
Anger against the Russian authorities inside and outside Russia has been building since Navalny’s arrest on January 17 at a Moscow airport following his arrival from Berlin where he had recovered from an attack on the nerve agent in Novichok.
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Dissatisfaction expressed across the country during protests seeking Navalny’s release was heightened after his suspended sentence was exchanged on a 2014 charge of embezzlement this month for a period of eight months in a correctional labor colony.
The Russian legal system, which stamps the Kremlin’s wishes, continues the kitchen sink to Navalny.
He is also accused of slandering World War II veteran Ignat Artemenko, whom he criticized for his role in a video supporting constitutional changes that would allow Putin to remain in power until 2036. The protocol was communicated by Ashurkov, who was described as ‘bizarre’, to Navalny via his lawyer in Moscow.
“He will turn this trial into a place from which he makes damning statements against the court system and against the Russian political system,” Ashurkov said, “he is a fighter.”
Navalny’s instinct for an unforgettable sound bite from the dock was seen earlier this month when he called Putin the ‘underwear poisoner’, referring to the garment where the Novichok that nearly killed him was placed. The Kremlin denies responsibility.
Western governments are weighing their response and last month the FBK submitted a list of 35 people to the administration of President Joe Biden, who read like a Russian who is oligarchs, power brokers and political figures.
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“The West has too often been tolerant of corruption and human rights abuses that have been leaking out of Russia over the past few years, and it is in the West’s interest to stem the flow of dirty money and illegality,” Ashurkov said.
Europe is where many of those on the list have properties, while US sanctions will hurt their access to the international financial system.
“Western countries must implement this not only for the sake of the Russians and to bring forward any political change that is going to take place in Russia, but to police their own grass,” Ashurkov said.
Before the protests across the country, the documentary Putin’s Palace was released outlining a coastal property of the Black Sea, the size of Monaco worth $ 1.3 billion, which allegedly belongs to the president. It has been viewed 110 million times.
“It’s just a video,” Ashurkov said. “We see that it has a noticeable impact on how people look at Putin and this system in general, so I think it’s very striking. Whether it’s a turning point – we do not really think about these kinds of labels. ‘
With the heavy-handed approach of the Russian security forces last month, 11,000 people were arrested. Concerned about how further widespread arrests could affect its goal of winning the September parliamentary election, protests have apparently been postponed until spring.
The FBK asked people to go to their courtyards last Sunday in a flash demonstration that avoided confronting the security police, as it is expected that demonstration tactics will develop in the coming months.
Ashurkov said: “We understand that we and the democratic forces in prison are not strong enough to face the authorities.
“At the same time, we are seeing Putin’s seemingly stable regime weaken by the day and our goal is to strengthen our organization to gain more supporters.
“Support for Putin is waning,” he said. Newsweek, “The fight between Alexei and our team did not start yesterday and it will not end tomorrow.”
The image below by Statista shows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s time in power.
