Summary

  • Alexei Navalny's widow vows to continue his work to fight for a "free Russia" as she meets European ministers in Brussels

  • Yulia Navalnaya releases a video calling on supporters to stand with her, and blaming President Vladimir Putin for her husband's death

  • She also says she knows "exactly why" Putin killed Alexei three days ago, and will release the information soon

  • Earlier, representatives said Navalny's mother and lawyers had been blocked from entering a mortuary where they had been told his body could be

  • Prison authorities say he suffered "sudden death syndrome" at a remote Arctic prison on Friday, but his allies believe he was murdered on the orders of President Vladimir Putin

  • The Kremlin calls these accusations "frankly obnoxious" and says there are "no results" yet in the investigation into the death

  • Navalny, 47, one of Russia's most significant opposition figures, had been in jail on charges widely viewed as politically motivated

  • Protests and vigils have been held near Russian embassies in many countries and hundreds of people have been detained in Russia, reports say, amid warnings not to rally

Live Reporting

Edited by Andrew Humphrey and Alex Kleiderman

  1. Location of Navalny's body still not clear

    Andrew Humphrey
    Live reporter

    A woman lays flowers at the monument to the victims of political repressions following the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, in Moscow, Russia February 16, 2024.Reuters

    In Moscow, people laid flowers mourning Alexei Navalny's death at the monument to victims of political repressions

    Good morning and welcome to our live coverage.

    The mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been refused entry to a mortuary where she has been told her son's body is being kept, according to Navalny's spokeswoman.

    Kira Yarmysh says, "one of the lawyers was literally pushed out" and mortuary staff didn't respond when asked whether Navalny's body was there.

    Yarmysh added that Navalny's mother and lawyers have been told that the investigation into his death has been extended and the cause of death is still "unknown".

    Navalny, a staunch critic of the Kremlin, was reported dead last Friday. Since then, his mother has been refused access to his body for three consecutive days.

    This comes hours before Navalny's wife, Yulia Navalnaya, is due to speak with European foreign ministers in Brussels.

    Stay with us as we bring you the latest lines, as soon as we have it.