The Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, has tragically passed away while in prison, announced the country's prison service, in what is widely believed to be a politically motivated assassination linked to Vladimir Putin.

Navalny, aged 47, stood as one of Putin’s most vocal and persistent critics. He was detained in a jail approximately 40 miles north of the Arctic Circle, serving a sentence of 19 years under a “special regime”.

In early December, Navalny vanished from a prison in the Vladimir region, where he was serving a 30-year sentence on charges of extremism and fraud that he and his supporters had labeled as politically motivated retaliation for his leadership of the anti-Kremlin opposition movement during the 2010s. It was widely understood that he did not anticipate release during Putin’s lifetime.

Initially a nationalist politician, Navalny gained prominence by spearheading protests in Russia between 2011 and 2012, advocating against election fraud and governmental corruption. He extensively investigated Putin’s inner circle, disseminating his findings through polished videos that garnered millions of views.

His political zenith occurred in 2013 when he secured 27% of the vote in a Moscow mayoral election that many doubted was conducted fairly. Despite continuous pressure from the Kremlin, Navalny persistently exposed corruption within the government, including the revelation of a lavish palace on the Black Sea allegedly intended for Putin's personal use, as well as properties and assets linked to former President Dmitry Medvedev and other influential figures.

In 2020, Navalny fell into a coma following a suspected novichok poisoning orchestrated by Russia’s FSB security service. He was subsequently airlifted to Germany for medical treatment and eventually recovered. Upon his return to Russia in January 2021, Navalny was promptly arrested on charges of parole violation, marking the beginning of a series of jail terms totaling more than 30 years.

Putin, who is already the longest-serving Russian leader since Joseph Stalin, has recently initiated a presidential campaign for his fifth term in office. With constitutional term limit rules amended in 2020, speculation remains rife that Putin could potentially extend his tenure until 2030, further consolidating his power.

The sudden demise of Navalny has sparked international outcry and renewed scrutiny over Putin's regime, with many demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.