Alexei Navalny's funeral confirmed after Vladimir Putin's opposition 'killed'

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A funeral for Alexei Navalny is being held this week (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
A funeral for Alexei Navalny is being held this week (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

The final details for Alexei Navalny ’s funeral have been confirmed after the Russian opposition leader’s death.

Navalny, 47, met his end 1,200 miles northeast of Moscow at the notorious , where Putin's forces hold terrorist suspects, alleged spies and high-profile ex-officials. His death has sparked outcry in Russia with rumours flying his death came at the order of Vladimir Putin earlier this month. It is still unknown what caused his demise with several theories shared by enemies of the Russian president.

Navalny’s former spokesperson Kira Yarmysh has confirmed his funeral service will be held on Friday. She wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter : “Alexei’s funeral service will take place in the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Quench My Sorrows” in Maryino on March 1 at 14.00. Come early. The funeral will take place at the Borisov Cemetery.”

She had earlier revealed they had struggled to find a location for the sad service as previously available spots were suddenly fully booked when they learned the identity of the deceased. She added: “Since yesterday we have been looking for a place where we can organise a farewell event for Alexey. We have called most of the private and public funeral agencies, commercial venues and funeral halls.

Alexei Navalny's funeral confirmed after Vladimir Putin's opposition 'killed' qhiqqxiqrirhinvAlexei Navalny died earlier this month in a notorious prison (AFP/Getty Images)

Some of them say the place is fully booked. Some refuse when we mention the surname "Navalny". In one place, we were told that the funeral agencies were forbidden to work with us. After a day of searching, we still haven’t found the farewell hall.”

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It comes as Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya addressed the European Parliament. She said: "My husband will never see what a beautiful Russia of the future will look like, but we must see it," Yulia Navalnaya tells European Parliament members, as she rounds off her address. I will do my best to make his dream come true. The evil will fall, and the beautiful future will come."

She told the Parliament when it comes to Putin "you are not dealing with a politician but with a monster" and branded the Russian President the leader of an "organised criminal gang" who has "puppets" around him.

Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, said the funeral was initially planned for Thursday - the day of Mr Putin's annual address to Russia's Federal Assembly - but no venue would agree to hold it on that day.

Mr Zhdanov wrote on Telegram: "The real reason is clear. The Kremlin understands that nobody will need Putin and his message on the day we say farewell to Alexei."

Earlier this week a lawyer who represented Navalny was arrested in w. According to Russian media sources, Vasily Dubkov was detained for "violating public order", but the Russian authorities have not yet confirmed the arrest of Dubkov. Following Navalny's death, Dubkov accompanied his mother Lyudmila Navalnaya to the Arctic prison colony where he died in a bid to get his body back.

Dubkov has been taken to Moscow’s Schcherbinksky district police station, according to the Sota media outlet. Three of Navalny’s lawyers were jailed in October 2023 on accusations related to the Kremlin critic’s groups being banned as "extremist." Two other Navalny lawyers have since fled Russia.

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