Summary

  • Alexei Navalny's team says his body is purposely being withheld by the Russian authorities so they can "cover traces"

  • A spokesperson for the Russian activist, who died on Friday, says his mother and lawyer went to the morgue where officials said his body was being kept, but it was not there

  • Kira Yarmysh also said Navalny's team believe he was murdered and that the killing was ordered by President Vladimir Putin

  • Earlier, Navalny's team confirmed his death and called for his body to be "immediately" returned to his family

  • Protests and vigils have been held near Russian embassies in many countries. More than 340 people have been detained in Russian cities, reports say, amid warnings not to rally

  • UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron says "there should be consequences" over the death, while US President Joe Biden has said Putin was to blame

  • The Russian foreign ministry said it rejected "biased and unrealistic" assessments from the UK about the cause of his death

  • Navalny, 47, one of Russia's most significant opposition figures, had been in an Arctic Circle jail on politically-motivated charges

Live Reporting

Edited by Alex Therrien and Marita Moloney

  1. Alexei Navalny was often asked: ‘Do you fear for your life?'

    Sarah Rainsford
    BBC Eastern Europe Correspondent

    The hand of a Navalny supporter is visible holding an image of the deceased Russian opposition leaderGetty Images

    There was a time when journalists used to ask Alexei Navalny why he was still free. The next question was often whether he feared for his life.

    When Navalny was poisoned with a novichok nerve agent in August 2020, they stopped asking.

    Now Vladimir Putin's most dangerous political opponent has been pronounced dead by the Russian prison service.

    You can read the full story here.

  2. Russian police detain protesters following Navalny death - reports

    A group of policemen can be seen detaining a protester in St PetersburgReuters

    A group of policemen can be seen detaining a protester in St Petersburg

    We are now seeing reports that police in Russia have detained demonstrators on the street following the news of Alexei Navalny's death.

    The BBC Russian Service reports that over 100 people have been detained across Russia, according to human rights group OVD-Info.

  3. There should be consequences over Navalny death - UK's Cameron

    Lyse Doucet
    Chief international correspondent in Munich

    UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron at the Munich Security Conference. Photo: 16 February 2024EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

    Three years ago, US President Joe Biden vowed “devastating” consequences for Russia if Alexei Navalny were to die behind bars.

    On Friday, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron told me much the same here at the annual Munich Security Conference: “There should be consequences”.

    Much of what could be done to punish or try to contain President Putin’s Russia has already been done. Wide-ranging sanctions were imposed after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago - although there have been questions about how effective they’ve been. And the Russian leader has already been indicted by the International Criminal Court, a court he mocks.

    But when I spoke to Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, she immediately suggested two steps. First, seizing Russia’s frozen assets to help rebuild Ukraine; it’s a step, she says, Russia fears. Secondly, establishing what she called a special tribunal for accountability.

    Like all of Russia’s immediate neighbours, she’s always mindful about this threat on their border. Now many more minds will be focused on ensuring Alexei Navalny’s courage and sacrifice was not in vain.

  4. Mourners pay tribute to Navalny outside London's Russian embassy

    A group of mourners and well-wishers have gathered outside the Russian embassy to mourn Alexei Navalny.

    They bear placards calling him a hero and criticising Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of murdering the opposition leader.

    Men and women in a line holding candles, placards in Russian and images of Alexei NavalnyEPA

    Dozens of people gather to mourn Alexei Navalny outside London's Russian Embassy

    A woman holds a placard bearing Navalny's face that says 'the dream lives on' outside the Russian Embassy in LondonEPA

    'The dream lives on', reads a placard at the vigil for Alexei Navalny

    A tribute with flowers, candles and pictures to mourn Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny outside the Russian Embassy in LondonEPA

    A floral tribute to the deceased Russian opposition leader

  5. Marina Litvinenko speaks to BBC

    Marina Litvinenko in the studio

    In a few moments BBC Newsnight will be speaking to Marina Litvinenko - the wife of Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned in London in 2006.

    You can watch it live by pressing 'play' at the top of the page.

  6. More world leaders pay tribute to Alexei Navalny

    We're now hearing from more world leaders, who continue to pay tribute to Alexei Navalny.

    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has praised the Kremlin critic's "extraordinary courage" in standing up "for basic freedoms, for democracy", and says his death is a "tragedy".

    While Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte says he was "shocked" upon hearing of Navalny's death, saying it "illustrates the unprecedented brutality of the Russian regime".

    See what other leaders said earlier today.

  7. The isolated prison where Navalny spent his final days

    Penal colony where Alexei Navalny was detained

    Penal colony where Alexei Navalny was detained

    Aptly nicknamed the Polar Wolf, the prison sits above the Arctic Circle and is described as a "special regime colony", with temperatures in the region plummeting to -30C in winter.

    It's so much on the outskirts of civilisation, that it makes it nearly impossible for visitors to reach the site.

    Navalny was transported to the prison from his previous incarceration at the Melekhovo colony, approximately four hours from Moscow, where he had been serving a two-year sentence.

    During his time in prison he suffered with health issues, perhaps as a result of being poisoned with Novichok, for which he had required life-saving treatment in the West.

    Reporting debilitating back pain, stomach pain and numbness in his legs, the opposition politician was denied access to medical records, medication and subject to hourly night checks.

    On 22 January, he explained how the prison wardens would often wake everybody up at 5am to play the Russian national anthem.

    "And right after that - the second most important song in the country: Shaman's 'Ya Russky,'" he said, a song which translates to "I'm Russian" and has become an unofficial anthem of Vladimir Putin's.

    However, his humour and charisma were still apparent in December when he gave an insight into the 1,200 mile (1,930km) journey from Melekhovo to Kharp.

    "The 20 days of my transportation were pretty exhausting, but I'm still in a good mood, as befits a Santa Claus," he joked.

  8. UK government 'summon Russian embassy' over Navalny death

    The UK government has "summoned the Russian embassy" to make it clear that they "hold the Russian authorities fully responsible" for Alexei Navalny's death.

    The Kremlin critic's death must be "investigated fully and transparently", the UK government says in a statement on the Foreign Office's website, adding that "no-one should doubt the brutal nature of the Russian system".

    It adds that Navalny was a "man of great courage and iron will" whose dedication to human rights and exposing corruption was an inspiration to millions".

    "The ideals for which he stood and died will live forever."

    Earlier, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had called Navalny's death "terrible news", while Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron said that Putin "should be held accountable" for it.

  9. Von der Leyen embraces Navalny's wife

    Ursula von der Leyen holding hands with Yulia Navalnaya@vonderleyen

    President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has shared a video on X of her embracing Alexei Navalny's wife, Yulia Navalnaya.

    Her post is accompanied with this message: "Dear Yuliya, you and your family have bravely supported Alexei Navalny in his cause for so many years. Today, we also bow our heads to the entire family."

  10. Navalny's death a 'stunning blow' - senior US Senator

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    US Reporter

    Ben CardinGetty Images

    As chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ben Cardin plays a key role in negotiations over Ukraine aid.

    Among the US lawmakers to so far pay tribute to Alexei Navalny is Ben Cardin, the chair of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

    In a statement, Cardin said: "Navalny’s death is not just a tragedy for the Russia people, but a profound loss felt across the international community."

    "While the loss of Navalny is a stunning blow for the world, his legacy will undoubtedly endure as a symbol of resilience, courage and hope," added Cardin, a Maryland Democrat.

    Cardin said he believed Navalny's death added a sense of urgency in the global "fight for democracy and human rights".

    "As we mourn this loss, we cannot shrink from our collective responsibility to hold accountable those who seek to silence dissent through violence and repression," he added.

  11. White House calls for immediate investigation into Navalny's reported death

    The Biden administration is calling for an investigation into the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

    The White House spokesperson made the comments earlier while travelling on board Air Force One alongside President Biden and reporters.

    This call echoes a statement that we heard earlier from the UN Human Rights Office, which went on to add that when a person dies in state custody, the presumption is that the state itself is responsible.

  12. Watch: BBC's Russia editor on the last few years of Navalny's life, and death

    We're hearing a lot today about the circumstances surrounding Alexei Navalny's death - but, if you're in need of a recap, here's the BBC's Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg, who looks back at the last few years in the life of the Kremlin's "most vocal critic".

    Just press the play button on the image above.

  13. A look back at today's key events

    Alexei Navalny posterReuters

    If you’re just joining us now, here’s a recap of what's been happening recently:

    • US President Joe Biden says Vladimir Putin is "responsible" after reports of Navalny's death triggered a wave of condemnation from leaders around the world
    • A spokeswoman for the opposition politician says the death report is "likely" true, but her team couldn't independently confirm this
    • Navalny's lawyer is travelling to a remote penal colony in the Arctic where he was known to be held and is expected to arrive on Saturday morning to establish facts
    • Navalny's wife, Yulia Navalnaya, has said she doesn't know whether the "horrible news" is true
    • Despite the Russian authorities warning against protests, hundreds of people have begun leaving flowers in central Moscow in memory of the Kremlin critic while vigils are taking place across European cities
    • For its part, the Kremlin considers Western reaction to the reported death of Navalny to be "absolutely unacceptable", according to Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov

    You can read more global reactions from the BBC's Frank Gardner here.

  14. UN chief calls for 'credible and transparent investigation'

    UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is calling for a "full credible and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mr Navalny's reported death in custody", according to his spokesman.

    Guterres was "shocked" by Navalny's reported death, his spokesman adds, and sends his condolences to his family.

  15. The suspicious fate of Putin's rivals

    Anna PolitkovskayaGetty Images

    Anna Politkovskaya was murdered in an execution-style killing in 2006

    Alexei Navalny isn't the first person to have suffered "sudden Russian death syndrome", as some commentators have called it.

    A number of Putin critics, allies who have become threats, or those who have simply insulted the Kremlin, have died in suspicious circumstances:

    • Pavel Antov, a member of Putin's United Russia party, fell to his death from a hotel window in India in 2022, shortly after denying he was the source of a WhatsApp message critical of the war in Ukraine. A friend on the same trip, Vladimir Budanov, also died in his hotel.
    • Months earlier, the head of one of Russia's oil giants, Ravil Maganov, apparently fell from a hospital window in Moscow, after criticising the war in Ukraine.
    • Former deputy prime minister, and charismatic opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was shot four times in the back within sight of the Kremlin in 2015.
    • Journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who wrote books about Russia's police state under Vladimir Putin, was murdered in 2006 by contract killers. One of them later fought in Ukraine, and has since been pardoned.
    • Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB agent and critic of Putin, died in London in 2006, three weeks after drinking a cup of tea that had been laced with the deadly radioactive element, polonium-210. A British inquiry found he was poisoned by Russian agents who were acting on orders that had "probably" been approved by Putin.

    The Kremlin either does not comment on these deaths, or denies any involvement.

    You can read more about those, and what we know about reports of Alexei Navalny's death, here.

  16. Watch: Navalny supporter detained by police after one-person protest

    An Alexei Navalny supporter holding a one-person protest in Moscow was arrested on Friday, after she was seen carrying a placard which read: "Alexei Navalny died today".

    Earlier in the day, Moscow city authorities warned people against public demonstrations in the Russian capital.

    Russian law requires organisers to seek permission from the authorities for any mass assembly.

    Click play on the video above to see the moment the demonstrator is arrested, and driven off in a police car.

  17. Navalny vigils are held across Europe

    People are gathering with pictures of Navalny, lighted candles and flowers as vigils form outside Russia embassies across Europe.

    A man lights a candle on a wall next to flowers and a picture of Russian opposition leader NavalnyEPA

    A man lights a candle during a vigil commemorating Navalny in Tbilisi, Georgia

    A sign with an image of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is seen as people attend a vigil held in front of Russian embassy in Berlin after his deathReuters

    In Germany people are also gathering to pay tribute to Navalny, here outside the Russian embassy in Berlin

    Candles and flowers sit next to the photo of Russian late opposition leader Alexey Navalny outside the Russian Embassy in RigaEPA

    Vigils are also taking place in Latvia, outside the Russian embassy in Riga, where people are gathering and laying down flowers and candles around pictures of Navalny

    Russian citizens protest and hold signs in front of the Russian embassy in LisbonEPA

    Russian citizens also gathered in front of the Russian embassy in Lisbon

  18. 'We continue to fight': People lay flowers outside the Russian embassy in London

    Meghan Owen
    BBC London

    Flowers are laid outside of the Russian embassy in London

    Flowers are laid outside the Russian embassy in London

    Candles and flowers are being laid for Alexei Navalny outside the Russian embassy in London.

    Some of the Russians that I’ve spoken to at the vigil have been fighting back tears as they speak to me. The sentiment is mixed.

    One woman, who asked to go by the name Erika, tells me: "We still have hope for a better future for Russia. Even without him, his dream lives on. We continue to fight."

    But for another, the dream is over. "I feel very sad because nobody should be treated like he was treated. It’s against humanity There is no more hope for the future of Russia," says Anna.

    Erika Kirichenko and a man stand outside the Russian embassy in London holding up signs mourning the death of Alexei Navalny, with one sign reading: 'the dream lives on'

    Erika, left, tells the BBC she still has hopes for a better future

  19. Watch: 'Putin is responsible' for Navalny's death - Biden

    Earlier we brought you the latest comments from US President Joe Biden on the death of Alexei Navalny.

    In the clip above, he says "make no mistake, Putin is responsible for Navalny's death" - press the play button on the video above to have a watch.

  20. In Navalny address, Biden takes aim at Trump and Republicans

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    US Reporter

    Joe BidenGetty Images

    President Biden has just wrapped up his remarks at the White House, in which he both blamed Vladimir Putin for Alexei Navalny's death and condemned Donald Trump and Republicans opposed to Ukraine aid.

    In brief remarks, Biden used Navalny's reported death to call on Republicans to do more to aid Ukraine during its war with Russia, warning them that "history is watching" - a common refrain from the US President.

    "The failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will never be forgotten," he said. "We have to help, now."

    Additionally, Biden also directly took aim at his likely rival in the November 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump, who recently drew the ire of Democrats and US Nato allies by saying that he would "encourage Russia to attack any Nato member that fails to pay its bills as part of the Western military alliance".

    "This is an outrageous thing for a president to say," Biden said. "I can't fathom."

    Again, Trump's perceived fondness for Putin has become a common talking point among the former president's detractors.

    When asked whether the US government was considering additional sanctions or other consequences to punish Russia if Navalny's death is confirmed, Biden offered little in the way of details.

    "We're looking at a whole number of options," he said. "That's all I'll say right now."