Kremlin Critic

A man pays homage to Alexei Navalny, next to the Russian Embassy in France, (background) in Paris on Saturday. Russia’s top opposition politician Alexei Navalny died the day before at the Arctic prison colony where he was serving a 19-year term. His death, which the West has blamed on the Kremlin, deprives Russia’s opposition of its figurehead just a month before elections poised to extend President Vladimir Putin’s grip on power. AFP