Another activist linked to jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny has fled Russia, Reuters reported Thursday as the authorities’ year-long campaign to dismantle his network and label its leading figures "terrorists" showed little sign of slowing.
Violetta Grudina, 32, was blocked from running for local office in the Arctic port city of Murmansk last year after being forcibly hospitalized despite testing negative for coronavirus. Grudina has said she faced an intimidation campaign that included several years of hefty fines and unknown people shooting at her office.
Despite being barred from leaving the country due to being under house arrest, Grudina told Reuters she fled with her 11-year-old son and dog to a European country she declined to name.
The uncomfortable journey took several days in December and involved transport by car, plane, bus and on foot, she said.
“In principle, I was ready to stay in Russia and go to jail,” she said.
“[But] I needed to think about my son and leave in order to provide him with a safe future.”
A legal team defending Grudina had said the activist was targeted in a criminal case for “inciting mass violations” of Covid-19 restrictions during the early 2021 pro-Navalny protests.
She joins nearly all of Navalny’s most prominent allies who have fled Russia after authorities jailed the opposition leader when he returned from treatment for a poisoning attack and outlawed his organizations in 2021.
The campaign to silence Kremlin critics extended into 2022, with authorities this week adding Navalny and several of his top aides to the national “terrorist and extremist” register.
Leonid Volkov and Ivan Zhdanov, who are running Navalny's operations from exile and were the first to be labeled “terrorists and extremists” earlier in January, said they have since received anonymous letters threatening them and their families.
“We know where you live. We don't want you and your families to feel safe, we want you to remember this as you go about your work,” the letters reportedly said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
