Navalny’s Chief Strategist Ambushed In Suspected Kremlin Hit

The team has warned of an escalating crackdown on Russian opposition figures residing abroad, following Navalny's death last month in an Arctic penal colony.

"Leonid Volkov has just been attacked outside his house. Someone broke a car window and sprayed tear gas in his eyes, after which the attacker started hitting Leonid with a hammer," Navalny’s spokesperson Kira Yarmysh announced on social media.

Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, confirmed that the assault took place "near the house" in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital. He detailed that the assailant struck Volkov's legs and arms with a hammer. Images shared by Zhdanov depicted a visibly injured Volkov, with a swollen face and a bloodied leg. A car with shattered glass and blood stains was also pictured. Zhdanov reported that Volkov has since been admitted to a hospital.

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Zhdanov further stated, "it is obvious that after the murder of Navalny, they will now fully go after those who left the Russian Federation." However, CNN has not been able to independently verify these claims.

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March 14, 2024

The Lithuanian authorities have launched an investigation into the assault, according to the country's Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis. In a post on X, Landsbergis described the attack as "shocking" and assured that the perpetrators would be held accountable for their crime.

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Lithuania’s president Gitanas Nauseda expressed no doubt that the attack was premeditated. He cited recent incidents of desecration of the Lithuanian flag and monuments as evidence of escalating tensions. He assured that the Baltic country's authorities would "assess, investigate and hopefully find the guilty persons." Nauseda also addressed his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, stating, "And I can only say one thing to Putin - nobody is afraid of you here."

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The assault on Volkov comes just days before Russia's presidential election, which is widely viewed as a mere formality, with President Vladimir Putin expected to secure a fifth term. Volkov, who served as chairman of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation until 2023, had previously dismissed the elections as a "circus," claiming they were designed to project an illusion of Putin's overwhelming popularity.

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Volkov, who has been living outside Russia for several years due to safety concerns, faces multiple politically motivated charges in his home country. Navalny, once the most prominent voice against Putin in Russia, died last month in a Russian prison. His death sparked international outrage and accusations from his aides that he had been murdered, a claim the Kremlin has denied.

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In recent years, many members of Navalny’s team and other Russian activists have fled the country as Moscow's increasingly authoritarian regime has intensified its crackdown on opposition. In 2021, a Moscow court controversially labeled the Anti-Corruption Foundation as an "extremist" group, a decision that was widely condemned by the international community.