• Following the death of popular Russian opposition leader whilst in confinement, a history of “ultra-nationalism” and “far-right racism” is unveiling.
• A controversial pro-gun ownership video from 2007, in which he refers to Muslim immigrants in Russia as “cockroaches”, resurfaces.
The recent death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has prompted tributes across Europe and the US, with many acknowledging him as a formidable critic of Vladimir Putin. However, as Western politicians pay their respects, Navalny’s controversial past has resurfaced, raising questions about his political journey.
Navalny’s early political career has been scrutinized for his association with the far-right. Criticism has been directed at Labour leader Keir Starmer for praising Navalny’s “courage” despite his past involvement in the Russian March, an annual rally associated with ultranationalist far-right groups. Some highlight Navalny’s participation in demonstrations that attracted ultranationalists, including those using swastika-like symbols. A serious question needs to be asked about whether or not Navalny is a serious opposition to Putin or whether he is simply carrying out western interests in Russia. Is it appropriate for western politicians to throw out their morals and values to show support for someone with completely the opposite views to them just because they oppose Putin? Well, the answer to this is a definitive yes given the immediate blame on Vladmir Putin for his death with the exception of Donald Trump. This argument is summed up by Jade McGlynn, a researcher on Russian politics who told EuroNews “Anybody who expects Navalny to be an ideal Western liberal Democrat has been mistaken”.
This links to the Ukraine war as one of the reasons Vladmir Putin had given was the “Denazification” of Ukraine. Putin made this point again to controversial American journalist Tucker Carlson. He points out that Yaroslav Hunka, a 98-year-old Ukrainian veteran who fought in the Second World War and served in a Nazi SS unit was given a standing ovation by Ukrainian president Zelensky and the Canadian parliament. Given this, Navalny’s sentiment to ultra-nationalism raises a lot of eyebrows especially given Navalny’s support for Ukraine.
Navalny’s past includes controversial videos from 2007 where he appears to compare Muslim immigrants in Russia to “cockroaches”.
Expelled by the liberal Yabloko party for “nationalist activities,” he co-founded the National Russian Liberation Movement (NAROD), viewed as far-right and anti-immigration.
While Navalny never apologized for the controversial videos, there seems to be a shift in his views over time. According to Leonid Volkov, who worked with Navalny, he regretted the videos but saw them as historical facts. Navalny, in later years, softened his stance on immigration, advocating for Central Asian migrants’ rights and supporting gay marriage. He adopted more left-leaning economic positions, demonstrating a nuanced political evolution. His shift in views could also be genuine as the views of most people change with time especially since a lot of Navalny’s support comes from younger and subsequently more liberal people. However, there it is still very likely that his views simply changed because of western influence. From recent history, normalising same-sex marriage seems to be the western calling card, it wouldn’t be surprising if one of the conditions of joining NATO were to normalise LGBT, a recent example of this is Greece which is supposedly an “Orthodox Christian” country. While this is speculation, it isn’t far fetched to assume that Navalny was simply a western puppet, the USA has not shown any shyness with regards to interfering in the domestic affairs of other countries.
The controversy surrounding Navalny extends to human rights group Amnesty International, which initially stripped him of his “prisoner of conscience” status, citing past comments as “hate speech”. However, the decision was later reversed, acknowledging the Russian government’s use of the move to violate Navalny’s rights. A Muslim former Amnesty employee sued the organization, claiming she was dismissed for challenging the U-turn.
Navalny’s political journey saw him move away from nationalist rhetoric, particularly after his 2013 mayoral run in Moscow on an anti-migrant platform. Whether this move was genuine or influenced by a certain part of the world is a question that needs to be answered. He shifted focus to anti-corruption investigations and the expansion of his Anti-Corruption Foundation. His imprisonment and poisoning incidents drew international attention, leading to widespread criticism of the Russian government. Navalny’s legacy is undoubtedly complex, marked by a political evolution that included far-right associations in his early years. While critics question the sincerity of his departure from nationalist views, supporters applaud his “courage” in challenging Putin. Navalny’s death has reignited debates about his past which needs to be pondered upon. Furthermore, the outspoken support of Alexei Navalny by western politicians that Muslims consistently vote for should raise concerns.
