Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalnyâs coffin was buried as My Way by Frank Sinatra played over speakers.
Supporters arrived at a Moscow church for his funeral amid a heavy police presence and the threat of arrest. Not present were his widow, Yulia Navalnaya, or his two children, Dasha and Zahar. All three risk persecution from the Kremlin if they arrive in Russia, and currently live abroad. Russian police reportedly detained dozens of Navalnyâs supporters who gathered for tributes across the country, according to rights monitoring group.
On Instagram, Navalnaya posted a heartfelt tribute to her husband. âI donât know how to live without you, but I will try to do it so you â up there â would be happy and proud of me,â she wrote. âWe will definitely meet one day.â
Navalnyâs supporters shouted âyou were not afraid, and we are not afraidâ ahead of the service at the Icon of the Mother of God church in the neighborhood of Maryino, chanting his name. As his body was later taken for burial, they said, âWe will never forget you,â the BBC reported.
Russian police warned against protests over the death of the high-profile Kremlin critic. Independent media earlier noted disruptions to internet connections, with security cameras and fencing installed around the church.
The Kremlin refused to comment to journalists on Navalnyâs funeral. âThe Kremlin has nothing to say to Navalnyâs relatives on the day of his funeral,â Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. But he warned that âany unauthorized gatherings will violate the lawâ and protesters âwill be held accountable,â independent outlet Mediazona reported.
Navalny, 47, died at an Arctic penal colony last month where he was jailed on politically-motivated charges. His family accuses Russian President Vladimir Putin of ordering his death, and many Western world leaders have held Putin responsible.