Widow accuses Putin of being a Satanist

Yulia Navalnaya, widow of the late Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny, has launched a scathing critique against Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of engaging in “satanism” by refusing to release her husband’s body. Navalnaya’s remarks were made in a video titled “Putin’s fake faith,” which emerged nine days after Navalny’s death.

The Orthodox Christian tradition mandates burial within three days of death and a funeral service after nine days. However, Navalny’s body remains unreleased, sparking allegations from his family and allies that Putin is attempting to conceal the true cause of death and prevent large gatherings at his funeral.

Navalny, a prominent critic of Putin, died on February 16 in a penal colony above the Arctic Circle, where he was serving a prison sentence. The Russian prison service claimed he “felt unwell after a walk” and “almost immediately” lost consciousness.

Prior to his death, Navalny survived a poisoning attack with Novichok, allegedly carried out by Russian FSB agents. Despite warnings from the West, Navalny returned to Russia to continue his activism, leading to his arrest upon arrival in Moscow.

Navalny’s family and supporters have long accused Putin of orchestrating his death, with the Kremlin denying involvement and attributing Navalny’s demise to “sudden death syndrome.”

In her video statement, Navalnaya condemned Putin’s actions, asserting that “no true Christian” could condone his handling of Navalny’s body. She accused Putin of holding the deceased “hostage” and violating both human and divine laws.

With Navalny’s wife and team exiled from Russia, the responsibility of organizing his funeral falls to his mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, who is currently in Salekhard, where Navalny’s body is held.

Navalnaya’s accusations strike at Putin’s carefully crafted image as a devout Orthodox Christian defender of traditional values against Western influence. Putin has previously criticized Western liberalism, labeling it as “pure satanism” in a speech in September 2022.