Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, has announced that she will run for president after Vladimir Putin steps down. The statement was made during an interview with the BBC, where Navalnaya highlighted his determination to overthrow the current regime, but admitted that he was unlikely to return to Russia due to the risk of immediate arrest.
“I will take part in the election as a candidate when the time is right,” said Yulia Navalnaya. “My political opponent is Vladimir Putin, and I will do everything in my power to see his regime fall quickly.”
Despite her willingness to actively participate in Russian politics, Navalnaya faces significant obstacles, including an arrest warrant issued against her. In August this year, a Russian court sentenced him to two months in prison on charges of participating in a terrorist organization. Russian authorities have been targeting both Navalnaya and his associates since 2021 as part of a broader case against Alexei Navalny and his associates. The enemy’s widow currently lives outside Russia, and according to her, returning to the country is possible only if Putin leaves power.
“Unfortunately, it is impossible for me to return to Russia while Putin is in charge,” Navalnaya said, lamenting that she could not even attend her husband’s funeral because of the risk of detention.
Alexei Navalny, one of the most prominent anti-Putin figures of the past decade, died in February 2024 while serving a 19-year sentence in a penal colony in the Arctic Circle. Since her husband’s death, Yulia Navalnaya has repeatedly accused Putin of being behind the murder, a charge the Kremlin vehemently denies. Navalny became a symbol of opposition to the Russian government, and was the target of several poisoning attempts and political repressions during his lifetime.
Speaking to The Times, Navalnaya reiterated that she did not want the Russian president to die, but instead wanted to see her serve the same prison term as her husband. “I don’t hate him. I am absolutely convinced that I do not want to kill Putin. “I would like to see him in a Russian prison, like my husband,” said Navalnaya.
“Hardcore explorer. Extreme communicator. Professional writer. General music practitioner. Prone to fits of apathy.”