Thousands of mourners attended Alexei Navalny’s funeral

Moscow,Mar 02,2024: The funeral of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been held on Friday morning in Moscow, an event seen by many as representing a struggle between the country’s marginalized protest movement and President Vladimir Putin’s will to silence it.
Thousands of mourners defied heavy security to greet Navalny’s coffin with applause and chants at the church and cemetery where he was buried. Allies of the Putin critic accused the Kremlin of trying to derail the event, saying they struggled to secure a venue and find a hearse willing to carry his body.
Navalny, 47, died last month in an Arctic penal colony. His wife, Yulia Navalnaya, paid tribute to her late husband this morning and thanked him for “26 years of absolute happiness.” She has pointed the finger at Putin for his death, but the Kremlin has denied the accusations. A deal to free Navalny was in the works, and his allies have said the timing was no coincidence.
The funeral was live-streamed, allowing those outside Russia who saw hope in Navalny’s struggle to follow the event online. A number of foreign diplomats, including the U.S. ambassador, were seen at the event.