Alexei Navalny: Who Is The Opposition Leader Of Russia?

Alexei Anatolievich Navalny is a Russian opposition leader, lawyer, and anti-corruption activist. He is the incumbent leader of the Russia of the Future Party, and the founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK).

He came to international prominence by organizing anti-government demonstrations and running for office to advocate reforms against corruption in Russia, and against President Vladimir Putin and his government.

Putin avoids directly referring to Navalny by name. Navalny was a Russian Opposition Coordination Council member.

As of 2021, Navalny had more than six million YouTube subscribers. Through his social media channels, he publishes material about corruption in Russia, organizes political demonstrations, and promotes his campaigns.

In a 2011 radio interview, he described Russia’s ruling party, United Russia, as a “party of crooks and thieves,” which became a popular epithet.

Navalny and the FBK have published investigations detailing alleged corruption by high-ranking Russian officials.

In March 2017, Navalny and the FBK released the documentary He Is Not Dimon to You, accusing Dmitry Medvedev, the then prime minister and former president of Russia, of corruption, leading to mass protests across the country.