#NAVALNY

A Russian opposition figure known for his criticism of the Kremlin has been transferred to a prison hospital, though his condition remains stable, his lawyer reported on Wednesday.

Russian journalists Konstantin Gabov and Sergei Karelin have been detained on charges of extremism. According to Reuters, the charges are based on their cooperation with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest critic, Alexei Navalny.

Recent reports from the Wall Street Journal have shed light on the U.S. intelligence community’s perspective regarding the death of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny. Contrary to widespread belief, these agencies suggest that it’s unlikely Russian President Vladimir Putin directly ordered Navalny’s demise at an Arctic prison camp in February.

A Russian Orthodox priest who presided over the memorial service for the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in March has been suspended from clerical duties for three years, the Moscow Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church has reported.

His lawyer said the conditions of the transfer could prove life-threatening for the activist who suffers from a serious nerve condition.

The complaint was regarding the inadequate level of medical care provided to Navalny in the penal colony.

Thus far, 50% of the votes have been counted with Putin securing 87.97% of the vote.

Thousands of people turned up at polling stations across Russia on Sunday to take part in what the anti-Kremlin opposition said was a peaceful but symbolic political protest against the re-election of President Vladimir Putin.

Journalists believe Vladimir Putin discussed exchanging Alexei Navalny with Russians arrested in the West hours before the announcement of the opposition activist’s death, the independent Russian news site Agentstvo wrote on Friday, citing conversations with people familiar with the matter.

A group of more than 40 countries, including all EU members, reiterated calls on Monday for Russia to allow an independent international investigation into the prison death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Eight European Union countries called on Wednesday for sanctions on Russia’s prosecutors, courts, and penitentiary officials over the death earlier this month of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, a letter seen by Reuters showed.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s funeral service and burial will take place in Moscow on Friday, his spokeswoman said, after a search for a hall to allow his supporters to bid farewell to him failed.

Vasily Dubkov, lawyer for Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who accompanied Navalny’s mother last week as she fought to get authorities to hand over her son’s body, was briefly detained on Tuesday in Moscow, Russian news media said.

Funeral homes in Moscow are refusing to organize the ceremony for the final farewell to the Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, citing restrictions from the city authorities, as reported by the Russian independent channel Mozhem Objasnit on Telegram.

The body of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died unexpectedly in prison nine days ago, was handed over to his mother on Saturday in the remote Arctic city of Salekhard, his spokeswoman said.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday met the wife and daughter of Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader who died last week, “to express his heartfelt condolences,” the White House said.

A new issue of the Russian weekly Sobesednik has been withdrawn from sale on newsstands in Moscow. The magazine’s cover featured a photo of Kremlin-opposing politician Alexei Navalny, who, according to prison officials, died last week in a penal colony.

Britain on Wednesday imposed sanctions on six individuals in charge of the Arctic penal colony where Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died last week.

The Russian ambassador to Poland was summoned to the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday in demand for Russia to conduct a transparent and thorough inquiry into the death of Alexei Navalny.

“Putin allowed or ordered – we don’t know exactly – the murder of Navalny during the Munich Security Conference… the situation is starting to get really serious,” said the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, in Brussels after the end of Monday’s meeting between the foreign ministers of European Union member states.