Bert Sundström: "They want to show that no criticism is tolerated"

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is currently being treated for life-threatening injuries following suspected poisoning.

Navalny, who has made himself known for exposing corruption in the Russian leadership, has profiled himself as one of the main opponents of Putin's regime. But the opposition leader does not pose a real threat to the Russian regime, according to SVT's Russia correspondent.

- He is like a stone in the shoe, or a nail in Putin's eye, says Bert Sundström.

If he does not pose a threat, then why would he have been poisoned?

- It has almost become a tradition under Putin's rule. Those who in any way challenge and question the official image are attacked from time to time, says Bert Sundström.

He mentions, among other things, the poison attack on Sergei Skripal in Salisbury 2018, the poisoning of the former FSB colonel Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006 and the attacks on journalist Anna Politkovskaya who was first poisoned on a plane and later shot dead in Moscow in 2006.

Bert Sundström points out that it is still not clear whether Navalny was actually poisoned or if he fell ill for some other reason, but points out that this would not be the first time a Russian dissident has been subjected to a poison attack.

- It is dangerous to challenge power. You want to show: 'stay in shape otherwise it can go bad', he says.

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