‘Navalny is a symbol of Russian opposition movement’

The opposition movement against Russian President Vladimir Putin is able to operate without direct involvement from Alexei Navalny, his chief of staff has said.

Mr Navalny was a natural point of consolidation for dissenters of President Putin, Leonid Volkov told BBC Hardtalk.

“When he was under house arrest in 2014 for a year, cut off from communication, when he was in a coma in Berlin for a month, when he was detained for several months in the past, we always were able to operate, we know what to do,” he said.

Tens of thousands of people joined rallies in about 100 cities and towns across Russia last Saturday to protest against the arrest of Mr Navalny. More than 3,500 people were detained, monitors said.

Mr Navalny called for protests after his arrest last Sunday.

Mr Putin has condemned the mass rallies as “illegal and dangerous”.

Watch the full interview on Thursday 28 January 2021 on BBC World News or watch again on BBC iPlayer (UK only)