ALEXEI Navalny’s wife has shared a heartbreaking tribute to her husband following his death in jail.
Navalny died on Friday while serving a three-decade prison sentence in a hellhole Arctic prison.
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He was the leader of the Russian opposition and was one of Putin’s most outspoken opponents.
He had pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud and contempt of court but was locked up in 2021.
Yulia Navalnaya posted a picture of the pair together and captioned it with the words: “I love you.”
Friends and family of Navalny’s widow were quick to share their support in the Instagram comments section.
One person wrote: “Yulia, you and your love with Alexei is the most beautiful of all existing stories. Thank you for your strength, honesty, openness and living life that is visible even now, in this utter darkness.
“I am endlessly sorry.”
While another simply said: “Yulia, we are with you, and there are many of us.”
“Julia, thinking of you, my heart is breaking. We are with you, you will never be alone!” added a third.
It comes after Yulia vowed that “evil” Putin would be “held accountable” if the news of her husband’s death in a Russian gulag was confirmed.
The Russian opposition leader did not expect to be released during Putin’s lifetime.
But it would turn out he wouldn’t survive that long.
According to the Russia‘s Federal Penitentiary Service Navalny felt unwell after a walk at the feared “Polar Wolf” jail, and lost consciousness.
An ambulance arrived to try to revive him, but he died. It said the cause of death was “being established”.
Is had now emerged that Navalny’s body was found covered in bruises and being guarded in a morgue amid claims Russia had him killed.
Navalny, 47, has consistent marks that could show he was “murdered” under Vladimir Putin’s chilling regime after it was suggested he suffered a seizure in jail, said paramedics who saw his body.
A medic, who works at the hospital where Navalny’s body was sent, said: “As an experienced paramedic, I can say that the injuries described by those who saw them appeared to be from convulsions.
“If a person is convulsing and others try to hold him down but the convulsions are very strong, then bruising appears.”
There were also signs that someone in the jail tried to save Navalny before he died as there were bruises on his chest showing evidence of CPR.
The paramedic continued: “They still tried to resuscitate him, and he died, most likely, from cardiac arrest. But why this stop happened, no one is saying anything yet.”
Russia gave the official cause of death as “sudden death syndrome” yesterday, say Navalny’s family and lawyer.
His death was confirmed to be at 14.17 local time on February 16, according to a document given to Navalny’s mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya.
Hospital pathologists were allegedly banned from performing an autopsy on his body, the source added.
As soon as his corpse arrived it was quickly transferred to the morgue and two cops were made to stand blocking off the door so no one could look inside, they continued.
The paramedic said: “Everyone wanted to know what had happened, what all the secrecy was about and whether they were trying to hide something serious.”
The Government is currently weighing up its response to the death of the jailed opposition leader, as Western capitals heaped blame on Vladimir Putin.
The death of Navalny is expected to be discussed by MPs when the Commons returns after recess.
Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has already signalled that there could be fresh sanctions against Russia officials as the Russian authorities face a grilling over how exactly Navalny died.
It remains unclear what response the Government and other allies may take against Putin with Moscow already facing heavy sanctions since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday.
The death of Mr Navalny was raised in the conversation alongside aid for Ukraine.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said the pair “underscored the importance of providing continuing support to the Ukrainian people”.
She said: “The Prime Minister welcomed the recent announcement that the EU will provide 50 billion euros support to Ukraine, and outlined the work the UK is doing through our security cooperation agreement.
“The Prime Minister and President Von der Leyen expressed their outrage at the death of Alexei Navalny, and underscored the utmost importance of holding those responsible within the Russian system to account.”
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