Navalny's mother and father attended a somber ceremony at a Moscow church surrounded by police.
- Navalny's parents attended a somber ceremony.
- “No to war”, “Putin is a murderer”, people sing.
- He died at the age of 47 in a penal colony on February 16.
Thousands of Russians gathered in Moscow to mourn and chant the name of opposition politician Alexei Navalny during his small funeral, held under tight security. Reuters reported.
Navalny's mother and father attended the somber ceremony at a Moscow church surrounded by police. A photograph that circulated on social media captured Navalny's body lying in a coffin filled with flowers, with his mother and her father present.
Outside the church, a crowd, prevented from entering, chanted “Navalny! Navalny!” while an Orthodox priest officiated the brief service.
As his coffin was carried out, expressions of discontent broke out, with people chanting phrases such as “Russia will be free”, “No to war” and “Putin is a murderer”.
Navalny, a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin, died at age 47 in an Arctic penal colony on February 16, prompting accusations of foul play by his supporters, vehemently denied by the Kremlin.
The funeral took place two weeks before Russia's presidential election, in which Putin is expected to win another six-year term.
Security was especially tight at the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God, where the service took place. Mourners, carrying flowers, arrived early and expressed their solidarity with Navalny's family.
Various people attended the ceremony, each with their own reasons to honor Navalny.
After the funeral, Navalny's body was transported to the Borisovskoye cemetery, accompanied by increased security measures.
More than a quarter of a million people around the world watched the events on Navalny's blocked YouTube channel.
As Navalny's allies outside Russia urged monuments to Soviet-era repression, the Kremlin warned against unauthorized gatherings, citing legal violations.
Navalny's funeral comes amid persistent accusations and unanswered questions surrounding his death, adding complexity to the political landscape in Russia.
