Opponent Alexei Navalny will return to Russia on January 17

Russian opponent Alexei Navalny announces in a video posted on January 13, 2021 on Instagram his return to Russia.

AP - Navalny instagram account

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

Recovering in Germany after being the victim of suspected poisoning in Novichok in August, the Russian opponent says he bought his return ticket for Sunday.

Despite all the uncertainties over his judicial future in Russia, and even his security, he has every intention of returning home.

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“ 

Sunday January 17, I am returning to Moscow by a flight of the company" Pobeda ", come and welcome me!

 »It is with these words that

Alexeï Navalny

ends his short video posted on Instagram.

It accompanies a written message, in which he explains the reasons for his return: 

“The question of coming back or not has never arisen for me.

Simply because I haven't left.

I was transported to Germany in a resuscitation box.

 "

According to the conclusions of three European laboratories and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the opponent was

poisoned by a nerve agent,

recalls

Anastasia Becchio

of the Europe service of RFI.

Alexeï Navalny believes that the Russian authorities are doing everything to prevent him from coming back to Russia: “ 

I survived.

And now Vladimir Poutine, who ordered my assassination [...] tells his servants to do everything so that I do not return.

 "

Prison sentence

At the end of last month, a "

large scale fraud

" investigation 

 was opened against him.

According to the Russian Investigation Committee, Alexeï Navalny is suspected of having spent on his personal use for nearly 4 million euros in donations.

This week, the courts registered a complaint requesting the conversion of a suspended prison sentence dating from 2014 to firm prison.

It will be examined on January 29th. 

► 

To read also: Russia: the opponent Alexeï Navalny in the sights of the Kremlin

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  • Russia

  • Vladimir Poutine

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