Russia could extend Alexei Navalny’s imprisonment for up to a further 15 years in a fresh criminal trial that his supporters warn has been overshadowed by the crisis in Ukraine. The Russian opposition leader is accused of embezzling donations to his FBK anti-corruption organization, which has accused Vladimir Putin of owning a £1 billion mansion and other top officials enriching themselves through corrupt schemes. Navalny has denied the charges and calls them politically motivated.
The new trial for embezzlement began on Tuesday inside the IK-2 penal colony in Vladimir, an unusual setting four hours’ drive east of Moscow, that severely limits the ability of supporters and observers to attend the hearings. Navalny is serving a three-and-a-half-year sentence at the prison for a separate embezzlement charge. He survived a poisoning attempt on his life in 2020 and was arrested after returning to Russia last year. Navalny’s anti-corruption organization has spearheaded investigations into government officials and sparked large anti-Putin protests for years. The government has also sought to disband Navalny’s national political network, opening criminal cases against his top aides and regional coordinators and by declaring his political network as extremist.
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