As a result of anti-corruption activist Aleksei Navalny’s recent transformation into a significant factor in Russian politics, much attention has been given to his personal history. Delving into Navalny’s past has led many observers, however, to express doubts about the Russian opposition politician. A number of Navalny’s older, clearly nationalist statements are now frequently discussed in press reports. This is particularly true in Ukraine, where Navalny’s unclear position on the country’s independence and the future of Crimea has generated considerable pessimism regarding his possible future rise.
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Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny stands inside a glass cell during a court hearing at the Babushkinsky district court in Moscow on February 20, 2021. Navalny was sentenced to nearly three years in perison. He is considered to be a political prisoner for his opposition to President Vladimir Putin.
