Ioulia Navalnaïa has been an unwavering supporter of her husband, Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny. Three days after her husband’s death in a Russian prison, she meets with the European Union Foreign Ministers in Brussels today.
Alexei Navalny’s wife in Brussels to protest
In Brussels, 47-year-old Ioulia Navalnaïa stated that she holds Russian President Vladimir Putin “personally responsible” for her husband’s death and called on the international community to unite in defeating “this terrifying regime.”
Antonio Tajani, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated that Mrs. Navalnaya’s statements “will help all Europeans better understand the kind of violent system we must confront and contain in Ukraine.”
In her emotional speech in Munich, Ioulia Navalnaïa also expresses her determination to seek justice after the announcement of Alexei Navalny’s death in prison, two years after she last saw him.
A determined woman
The tumultuous journey of the Navalny couple has captivated the world, marked by protests, poisoning, and periods of detention, leading up to the announcement of the death of Vladimir Poutine’s main opponent, Alexei Navalny.
His wife, 47-year-old Ioulia Navalnaïa, with blond hair gathered, as always, in a tight bun, firmly declared, “If it’s true, I want Putin, all his staff, all his entourage, all his government, his friends, to know that they will be punished for what they have done to our country, my family, and my husband.”
“AND THIS DAY WILL COME VERY SOON,” SHE SAID, HER VOICE FIRM BUT OVERFLOWING WITH EMOTION.
A couple against the Kremlin
Ioulia Navalnaïa shared with Alexei the hope of the large demonstrations he organized in Russia and the anxiety of his poisoning in 2020. Despite the 19-year prison sentence against him, she remained hopeful.
“I hope and believe that I will see Alexeï free. Nothing is impossible when you are in love,” she had said last year to the German newspaper Der Spiegel. Their family life, unlike Vladimir Putin’s secretive private life, thrust them both into the public spotlight.
As their confrontation with the Kremlin became increasingly risky, the opponent said he couldn’t do it without his wife.
A message of love and hope
His last public message before the tragedy was a word of love for Valentine’s Day: “I feel that you are with me every second.” Ioulia Navalnaïa’s first social media post after her husband’s death chose a photo of him kissing her forehead, accompanied by the caption “I love you.” This public display of affection highlighted their strong bond, contrasting with Putin’s secret life.
Political future for Yulia Navalnaya ?
Her speech, after the announcement of her husband’s death, solidified her image as a strong woman. Although Ioulia Navalnaïa has primarily described herself as a mother and a companion, some supporters of Alexei Navalny have raised the possibility of a political future for her. She has rejected this idea so far, but the question remains: who could unite a decimated and leaderless opposition?
The strength of a woman in the face of adversity
In 2020, Ioulia Navalnaïa played a crucial role when her husband barely survived poisoning in Siberia with a “Novichok-type” substance, a powerful nerve agent, according to European analysis. She managed to get him out of Russia to Germany, overcoming obstacles set by local doctors.
“At every moment when we were there, I kept thinking ‘I have to get him out,'” she said. She accused the doctors of delaying the process until he died or the neurotoxic substance was no longer detectable.
Return to Moscow: the heartbreaking separation
When the couple returned to Moscow, despite the certainty of imminent arrest, Yulia displayed her determination with humor. “Boy, bring us some vodka, we’re going home,” she said on the plane, reenacting a scene from a cult Russian film. Their separation at passport control upon arrival was heartbreaking, but she was greeted by a crowd chanting her name.
“Whether Ioulia Navalnaïa wants it or not, she is becoming a political figure,” says political analyst Tatiana Stanovaya. While Alexei was in prison, Ioulia Navalnaïa resisted following the example of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who became the leader of the Belarusian opposition in the absence of her husband, also detained.