Putin Critic Alexey Navalny Located In Arctic Penal Colony After Being Reported Missing For Weeks

Russian political activist Alexey Navalny, known for his campaign against corruption by Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been located in a Russian penal colony near the Arctic Circle after being reported missing by his lawyers three weeks ago.

Navalny is the founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation, an effort to support the growing opposition to Putin.

Despite being imprisoned, Navalny had been in contact with his team to continue the foundation’s efforts.

According to his lawyers, Navalny went missing from his location in a Russian penal colony where he has been serving prison time.

He was convicted to 19 years in prison for creating and funding an “extremist organization” in opposition to Putin, which was added on to former charges of fraud and an array of other crimes.

Navalny was believed to be held in the IK-6 or IK-7 penal colony, a corrective labor camp over a hundred miles east of Moscow. He did not appear for his trial last month, which was to be held through video, which is widely viewed as being trumped up.

His legal team said that they lost connection with him.

These Russian penal colonies are said to be repurposed Soviet gulags and labor camps.

Navalny, who was previously a strong critic of Putin, is widely believed to have been charged for political reasons.

Kira Yarmysh, a spokesperson and Russian writer who works closely for Navalny as his press secretary and assistant, has taken to social media to express concern and support for him and his cause.

Pickets in support of Alexey @navalny continue worldwide. Los Angeles, Geneva, Tallinn, Haifa pic.twitter.com/qUirbt2xAz

— Кира Ярмыш (@Kira_Yarmysh) December 15, 2023

Yarmysh also expressed her concern for Navalny’s life as there was the possibility of him being moved to a new prison.

Navalny was also initially poisoned before returning to Russia in 2021 after he recovered, where he was effectively imprisoned upon his return.

Сегодня Алексея опять не вывели по видео в суд, но теперь глупости про «аварию с электричеством» никто не говорит. Сотрудник ИК-6 заявил, что Алексей «убыл из их колонии», но куда его перевели – якобы не знает.

6 дней они врали про «аварию» просто для того, чтобы тянуть время.

— Кира Ярмыш (@Kira_Yarmysh) December 12, 2023

Back in 2020, Putin implied if they wanted to kill Navalny, it would have been done already.

Meanwhile, U.S. intelligence has assessed that Russia has lost 87% of its active duty troops during the war with Ukraine.