Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny may be in a prison colony, but his Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) said his exile will not hinder his effort to gain political gains and urge Western governments to harm the Russian elite.
“Putin’s seemingly stable regime is getting weaker and weaker,” said FBK executive director Vladimir Ashurkov. Newsweek.
It certainly looks agitated. Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said on Tuesday that the European Union and the United States talk about sanctions “with manic persistence”.
Foreign spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that Moscow would retaliate against any US sanctions, suggesting that there is considerable concern from the Kremlin as to what the international response to a dramatic month in Russia might be.
Anger at Russian authorities inside and outside Russia has been growing since Navalny’s arrest on January 17 at a Moscow airport after his arrival in Berlin, where he was recovering from a Novichok nerve attack.
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Discontent displayed across the country in protests calling for Navalny’s release increased after his sentence suspended on a charge of embezzlement in 2014 was exchanged this month for a two-year period of eight months in a remedial colony.
The Russian legal system, which stamps the Kremlin’s wishes, continues to throw the kitchen sink in Navalny.
He is also accused of slandering World War II veteran Ignat Artemenko, whom he criticized for his role in a video supporting the constitutional changes that allow Putin to remain in power until 2036. The protocol was described as “bizarre” by Ashurkov , who is communicating with Navalny through his Moscow lawyer.
“He will turn this trial into a place from which he will make strong statements against the judicial system and against the Russian political system,” said Ashurkov, “he is a fighter.”
Navalny’s talent for a memorable wharf phrase was on display earlier this month when he called Putin an “underwear poisoner”, referring to the outfit where the Novichok that almost killed him was placed. The Kremlin denies responsibility.
Western governments are evaluating their response and last month the FBK submitted a list of 35 people to the government of President Joe Biden, who looked like a Russian who is who of oligarchs, power brokers and political figures.
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“Very often, the West has been tolerant of the corruption and human rights abuses that have spread across Russia in recent years and it is in the West’s interest to stem the flow of dirty money and illegality,” said Ashurkov.
Europe is where many of those on the list have property, while U.S. sanctions would undermine their access to the international financial system.
“Western countries should implement them not only for the sake of the Russians and to bring about any political change that will take place in Russia, but to police their own territory,” said Ashurkov.
Before protests across the country, the documentary Putin’s Palace was launched outlining a $ 1.3 billion Black Sea coastal property the size of Monaco allegedly owned by the president. It has been seen 110 million times.
“It’s just a video,” said Ashurkov, “we see that it has a noticeable impact on the way people look at Putin and this system in general, so I think it’s very impactful. Be a turning point – we don’t really think about those types of labels. “
The violent approach by Russian security forces last month saw 11,000 people arrested. Concerned about how new widespread arrests could impact its goal of winning gains in September’s parliamentary elections, the protests were postponed until spring.
The FBK called on people to go to their courtyards last Sunday in a flashlight demonstration that avoided confronting the security police, as demonstration tactics are expected to evolve in the coming months.
Ashurkov said: “We understand that we and the democratic forces in prison are not strong enough to face the authorities head on.
“At the same time, we see that Putin’s apparently stable regime is getting weaker and weaker and our goal is to strengthen our organization to win more supporters.
“Support for Putin is waning,” he said Newsweek, “The fight for Alexei and our team did not start yesterday and it will not end tomorrow.”
The graph below provided by Statista shows the time that Russian President Vladimir Putin was in power.
