Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was found inside a Siberian prison after being reported missing two weeks ago from the penal colony that he was being housed in.
Navalny was initially reported missing after his team said that they had lost all communication with the Kremlin critic. His spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying "We have found Alexey." He was reportedly in IK-3 in the settlement of Kharp in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District.
Alexei Navalny Found in Siberian Prison
The spokesperson added that Navalny's lawyer was able to visit him earlier on Monday and that the imprisoned activist was "doing well." The Russian opposition leader's lawyers first reported that they lost contact with Navalny on Dec. 11.
Up until that point in time, Navalny was being kept inside a penal colony located roughly 150 miles east of Moscow. His team added that the activist had "never been hidden for so long" after he was found to be absent from two scheduled court hearings last week, as per CNN.
Navalny's team also warned that the Kremlin critic had been in poor health before he disappeared after he was "deprived of food" and kept inside a punishment cell without ventilation.
The opposition leader's disappearance came a few days after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he would be running for re-election in March 2024. It sparked concerns for his well-being and safety.
The director of Navalny's anti-corruption foundation, Ivan Zhdanov said that the IK-3 penal colony in Kharp is known as "Polar Wolf." It is considered to be one of the northernmost and most remote colonies in the country.
The situation comes as Navalny is currently serving a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism. Prior to being found in the Siberian prison, he was being housed in Russia's Vladimir region, which is found roughly 140 miles east of Moscow, according to USA Today.
Russian Opposition Leader's Whereabouts
In the new penal colony where Navalny is being kept, his chief strategist, Leonid Volkov said that it is a place that is nearly impossible to get to. He added that it was even impossible to send letters and had the highest possible level of isolation from the world.
Navalny made headlines after he was poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent in the Siberian city of Tomsk in August 2020. He was later evacuated to Berlin to be given medical care and spent more than one week in a coma. While he was recovering from the assassination attempt, he returned to Moscow on Jan. 17, 2021, and was arrested at passport control for violating the terms of his parole.
Zhdanov said that the Russian government had wanted to isolate Navalny, particularly ahead of the election. The Kremlin has not yet directly addressed the sudden transfer of the opposition leader to the Siberian prison.
While he remained missing, the Russian government had been dismissive about his whereabouts. Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov said on Dec. 14 that the Kremlin had "neither the possibility nor rights or desire to trace the fact of convicts," said the New York Times.
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