Yulia Navalnaya made a dramatic appearance at a gathering of world leaders in Munich, just hours after her husband, Russian dissident Aleksei Navalny, was reported dead. She denounced President Vladimir Putin and vowed that he and his circle “will be brought to justice.”
Ms. Navalnaya’s appearance stunned the audience, which was already reeling from reports of Navalny’s death. She spoke with remarkable composure, her face showing evident pain but under complete control. She vowed that Putin and his government would be punished for their actions.
The audience gave her an emotional standing ovation when she finished, in what was described as a riveting moment at the conference. The event, already focused on security threats from Russia, took on new urgency with the news of Navalny’s death.
Ms. Navalnaya had come to Munich to keep world leaders focused on her husband’s case and the clampdown on dissent by Putin’s government. She met with conference attendees, who expressed sympathy and hoped for better days ahead.
Vice President Kamala Harris also addressed the reports of Navalny’s death, extending her sympathy to Ms. Navalnaya and condemning Putin’s brutality. She said that Russia would be held responsible for Navalny’s death.
Ms. Navalnaya, who has been fiercely outspoken in defense of her husband, has never ventured directly into opposition politics. During Navalny’s time in Germany, where he was treated after a poisoning in 2020, she remained private but expressed worry for her husband’s health in prison.
Despite their separation, Navalny continued to express his love for Yulia in his social media posts. His most recent Instagram post, on Valentine’s Day, was a message to Yulia, expressing his love for her even though they were separated by “blue blizzards and thousands of kilometers.”
