Yulia has always sided with Alexei Navalny in politics. In public, he participated in Russian opposition protests against Vladimir Putin and in the front row of every speech. And, of course, personally – like when After each demonstration she packed her suitcase for her husband to take to prison, as the detention was certain. But Yulia Navalnaya's political baptism truly took place in 2020, when her husband – the main political opponent of the Russian president – was poisoned. Novichok and collapsed in the plane.
With Alexei Navalny unconscious and in need of urgent medical attention, Yulia had to take action. The news came from Alexei Venediktov, one of Russia's most experienced political journalists, who to this day maintains open communication with the Kremlin: Putin is ready to transfer Navalny to a hospital abroad, where he can receive treatment. But there was one condition: his wife had to hear it publicly. Yevgenia Albats, a prominent Russian journalist close to Navalny, summed up the predicament 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 know that Alexei would rather die than ask Putin for anything..
Yulia wrote the letter and made it public. But he did not plead with the Russian president: “I am addressing you officially required “You authorize the transfer of Alexei Anatolyevich Navalny to the Federal Republic of Germany,” he wrote to Vladimir Putin. Moments later, the Kremlin gave the green light for the transfer — and paved the way for a spectacular recovery for the dissident, who, contrary to expectations, would survive the poisoning attempt.
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