Volkov was Navalnhy's chief of staff until his sudden death in a Russian prison a month ago.
Leonid Volkov, an old friend of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, was attacked with a hammer outside his home in Lithuania, the BBC reported.
The criminal injured Volkov with a hammer and used tear gas when Volkov was in his car on Tuesday night in Vilnius.
Navlyn spokesperson Kira Yarmysh confirmed the attack and described that Lithuanian police are investigating the attack.
Volkov was most recently Navalnhy's chief of staff until his sudden death in a Russian prison a month ago. The blow caused multiple cuts to his lower left leg, bruising to his head and other injuries, and he is now in hospital for treatment.
The attack on Volkov not only raises concerns about the well-being of Navalny's supporters but also poses a danger to other opposition figures in the existing political situation in Russia.
A large number of activists, including Volkov, also emigrated in 2021, when Navalny's entire political organization was proclaimed “extremist” and subsequently banned in Russia.
As the presidential election approaches, Yulia Navalnaya, Alexei Navalny's widow, has called for peaceful political protest at polling stations across Russia, a concept that was often supported by Alexei himself in the past.
The recent attack on Volkov remains a mystery, adding to the uncertainty associated with the safety of members of the opposition movement linked to Navalny. The case is a reminder that nothing is easy for activists in Russia and the personal risks involved in criticizing authorities.
