NAVALNY

Russian prison authorities reported the death of Alexei Navalny on Feb. 16, 2024. He was just 47 years old. If you don’t know who he was, he was the thorn in Putin’s side. He was the opposition leader who had the audacity to fight against the corruption that is systemic in Russia. He had the courage to stand up against Putin, calling out the invasion of Ukraine as the Russian war of aggression it is. He was the man who, after being poisoned, went back to Russia. For that he was jailed and slowly encouraged to die by Putin and the system he created.

I put his name in capital letters because he will always stand 10 feet taller than Putin or any of those who try to smother democracy and the freedom of people to live their lives. I have to admit I always thought he was foolish to go back to Russia, because I knew that eventually Putin would have him killed, just like he has so many others. But it was what he wanted and like all of us he had the right of free choice.

My condolences go out to his family and the people of Russia. They lost a good man at the hands of a bad one. A very poor trade.

A Russian voice:

An American voice:

There are still people out here who will not give up the fight.