Yulia Navalnaya. Navalny's widow has gone from secretive “first lady” to reluctant opposition leader

Yulia has always been on the side of politician Alexei Navalny. Publicly, participating in protests by Russia's opposition to Vladimir Putin, and in the front row of every speech. Of course, in private – like Matthew She prepared her bag for her husband to take to prison after each demonstrationBecause the arrest was certain. But Yulia Navalnaya's political baptism only actually happened in 2020, when her husband — the Russian president's main political opponent — was poisoned with a toxic substance. Novichok She collapsed on the plane.

With Alexei Navalny losing consciousness and needing urgent medical care, Yulia had to spring into action. The message came from Alexei Venediktov, one of Russia's most experienced political journalists who to this day maintains an open line of communication with the Kremlin: Putin would be willing to allow Navalny to be transferred to a hospital abroad, where he can be treated. But there was one condition: his wife had to ask for it publicly. Yevgenia Albats, a well-known Russian journalist close to the Navalny family, summed up the dilemma this way: She knew she had to get down on her knees and ask Putin to let her husband out [do país]. But I also knew that Alexei would rather die than ask Putin for anything..

Yulia wrote the letter and published it publicly. But he did not plead with the Russian President: “I am officially addressing you with requirements “You grant permission to transfer Alexei Anatolyevich Navalny to the Federal Republic of Germany,” he wrote to Vladimir Putin. Shortly thereafter, the Kremlin gave the go-ahead for the transfer, paving the way for the miraculous recovery of the opponent, who, contrary to expectations, would survive the poisoning attempt.

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