Vladimir Putin's number one opponent Alexeï Navalny died in prison on Friday. Navalny was one of the rare opposition figures to directly challenge Russian power embodied by Putin.
His methods and revelations have earned him the nickname "Russian Julian Assange" by Western media. His death comes one month before the next Russian presidential election in which Vladimir Putin has declared himself a candidate. The notoriety of this trained lawyer, married, father of two children, and practicing Orthodox, has continued to grow in recent years.