'Putin Jeongjeok' Navalny Associates Flee Abroad One After Another

Navalny Spokesperson Departs for Helsinki

Kira Yarmysh (Photo by Reuters)

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Ahead of next month's general election, as the Russian government's pressure on the opposition intensifies daily, close aides of imprisoned opposition activist Aleksei Navalny are fleeing abroad one after another.

On the 30th (local time), major foreign media outlets reported, citing multiple sources, that Navalny's spokesperson Kira Yarmysh has departed for Helsinki, Finland.

Yarmysh organized pro-Navalny demonstrations held in Moscow and was sentenced on the 16th to one year and six months of residence restriction for violating COVID-19 quarantine regulations. She appealed the court's ruling on the 27th and left Russia before the court's decision took effect due to the appeal.

Earlier, on the 8th, Lyubov Sobol, a lawyer for the Anti-Corruption Foundation established by Navalny and his political ally, fled abroad. Sobol was also charged with violating COVID-19 quarantine regulations after urging participation in pro-Navalny demonstrations and was ordered residence restrictions, but she ignored these and left the country.

The departure of Navalny's closest aides abroad occurred amid increasing pressure on his organization and close associates following Navalny's imprisonment.

In June, a Russian court designated the non-governmental organization 'Anti-Corruption Foundation' founded and operated by Navalny, its successor 'Foundation for the Protection of Citizens' Rights,' and the nationwide social movement organization 'Navalny Headquarters' as extremist groups, ordering their closure and banning their activities.

Navalny Headquarters, launched as a regional election campaign office when Navalny prepared to run in the 2018 presidential election, has since operated as a nationwide social movement organization conducting anti-corruption investigations and supporting prominent opposition candidates in elections.

In April, the Moscow Prosecutor's Office filed a lawsuit with the Moscow City Court requesting recognition of Navalny Headquarters, the Anti-Corruption Foundation, and the Foundation for the Protection of Citizens' Rights as extremist organizations, and the court ruled in favor of the prosecution. Since the court ruling, the Russian government's pressure on the opposition has been increasing daily.

Opposition leader Navalny, considered a 'political rival' of President Vladimir Putin, collapsed last August due to poisoning symptoms and was treated in Germany before returning to Russia in January this year. He was immediately arrested at the airport and is currently serving a three-year and six-month prison sentence after his suspended sentence from 2014 for fraud was converted to a prison term.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.