Yulia Navalnaya shared an emotional tribute to her husband, Russian activist Alexei Navalny, Sunday on social media.
“I love you,” she captioned the tender photo, which shows the couple in silhouette with their heads bent together.
The post is Navalnaya’s second public comment since news of her husband’s death rocked Russia and the international community on Friday. Initially, the 47-year-old economist wasn’t sure whether to believe the news because the Russian government led by Vladimir Putin is “always lying.” Speaking at a security conference in Munich, she vowed justice for her husband if the news of his demise were true.
“I want Putin, those around him, Putin’s friends, and his government to know they will be held responsible for what they have done to our country, my family, and my husband—and that day will come very soon,” she said.
Navalnaya had been married to Navalny for 23 years, preferring to stay out of the political spotlight as her husband gained international renown for his outspoken criticism of Putin. After Navalny was poisoned by a Russian nerve agent in 2020, her insistence ultimately convinced Russian officials to let him seek treatment in Germany, which narrowly saved his life.
Navalny returned to Russia in early 2021, though he knew he would face certain arrest. He had been serving a 19-year sentence in an Arctic penal colony when he allegedly “fell down and died” on Friday. His spokesperson claimed Navalny was murdered by Putin’s government, a charge taken up by President Joe Biden.
In the aftermath, hundreds of Russians were detained by police at rallies and memorials in Navalny’s memory across the country. From the major cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow to the remote villages of Siberia, supporters turned out to leave flowers and light candles in Navalny’s memory, often decorating memorials to victims of Soviet-era repression. Protests are illegal in Russia, and law enforcement warned citizens against attending rallies for Navalny. But the outpouring of public support demonstrates that even if the face of the opposition is gone, the movement continues.
“I want to call on the entire international community, everyone in this room, people around the world, to unite together and defeat this evil, defeat the appalling regime that is now in Russia,” Navalnaya said on Friday.
