Russian Officials Handed Over Alexei Navalny's Body to His Mother

One of Alexei Navalny's senior aides announced on Saturday, March 5, on social media that the body of the Russian opposition leader has been handed over to his mother. According to the Associated Press, Ivan Zhdanov, director of the "Navalny Anti-Corruption Foundation," thanked "everyone" who had asked Russian authorities to return Navalny's body to his mother. Earlier on Saturday, Yulia Navalnaya, Alexei Navalny's widow, accused Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, of mocking Christianity by attempting to have her agree to bury him in a location in the Arctic. Kira Yarmysh, spokesperson for Alexei Navalny, wrote on social media platform "X" that Navalny's mother has been in the city of Salekhard in the Arctic region for over a week to receive her son's body. Yarmysh added in her tweet: Will the authorities allow the funeral to be held "as the family wishes and as befits Alexei"? Yulia Navalnaya stated earlier on Saturday: "Hand over my husband's body. You tortured him alive, and now you are torturing his corpse." Following Navalny's death, hundreds of people across Russia commemorated him with flowers and candles. Security forces have arrested dozens of people to suppress supporters of Putin's staunchest opponent. Navalny's supporters on social media claimed that the authorities do not want to return Navalny's body to his family because they fear widespread support for him. Many also gathered in Orthodox churches across Russia to honor him. Alexei Navalny, the most prominent political opponent of Putin, suspiciously died on February 16 while serving a 30-year sentence in IK-6 prison in the Yamalo-Nenets region, about 1900 kilometers northeast of Moscow. Joe Biden, the President of the United States, announced on Friday, March 4, that the U.S. would impose over 500 new sanctions against Russia on the occasion of the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine and the suppression of dissent within Russia and the death of Alexei Navalny. In response to Navalny's death, Biden stated: "Do not be mistaken. Putin is responsible for Navalny's death." The Kremlin has denied this. Yulia Navalnaya urged Russian officials: Hand over Alexei Navalny's body to his family. The U.S. imposed sanctions on the largest shipping company and owner of state oil tankers in Russia. Navalny's spokesperson stated that Russian officials gave Alexei's mother an "ultimatum" regarding her son's burial. Joe Biden announced the imposition of 500 new sanctions against Russia. The European Union called for a "transparent international investigation" into Navalny's death.