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Alexei Navalny Sacrificed Himself to Show Russia That Putin Is a Monster (www.thedailybeast.com)

submitted 9 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

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Navalny’s friends knew he was willing to become a martyr if that’s what it took to stand up to Putin.

Alexei Navalny’s long struggle against President Putin began with a humorous blog and culminated in repeated demonstrations of his willingness to risk his own life. According to the Russian authorities on Friday, he has now died in prison.

Russia’s leading opposition voice has been silenced.

Other dissident figures went into exile or died in mysterious circumstances over the past decade, leaving Navalny as the last national figure with a dedicated following.

Though he had been arrested many times before, Navalny’s defining moment in the eyes of many Russians came after the attempt to assassinate him with Novichok. He recuperated in the sanctuary of a German hospital but chose to defy Putin and return to Russia in January 2021, knowing full well he would end up in prison.

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[-] Gbagginsthe3rd@aussie.zone 156 points 9 months ago

I always questioned why he went back to Russia. I thought he could have done so much more outside of a Russian prison. Intentionally in the middle of nowhere, cut off from his supporters and fellow Russians

But he loved his country and held steadfast in his principles. He is a greater man than many. Could you trust yourself on how you would act when tested the way he was.

[-] SkyezOpen@lemmy.world 62 points 9 months ago

Could you trust yourself on how you would act when tested the way he was.

Absolutely. I trust that I would run away like a little bitch. Dude had balls of steel and I truly hope he managed to show the Russian population what a tyrant putin is.

[-] uis@lemm.ee 6 points 9 months ago

I truly hope he managed to show the Russian population what a tyrant putin is.

He did. And I recoomend you to watch it. Dude investigated his own poisoning.

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[-] FRCLYE@lemmy.world 6 points 9 months ago

Absolutely, most people that think they'd take the high road and do the right thing in this situation are not being honest with themselves. As much as I'd love to believe that I would sacrifice everything to fight tiranny, I just know that when the time comes I would choose the easy way out and espace somwhere for a better life.

[-] RootBeerGuy@discuss.tchncs.de 62 points 9 months ago

There have been examples of the past where martyrs did change the direction of history. Maybe he hoped it would be similar and I guess we are at the find out stage.

[-] agitatedpotato@lemmy.world 45 points 9 months ago

Even Lenin stayed out of Russia when the government set it sights on him and waited for a more oportune time to come back. Here's to hoping Martyrdom will change things, but Russians are very very used to things getting worse and just taking it on the chin.

[-] Impound4017@sh.itjust.works 10 points 9 months ago

Happy endings are banned in Slavic history

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[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 29 points 9 months ago

He seems like a true patriot in a land of nationalists

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[-] MrFunnyMoustache@lemmy.ml 15 points 9 months ago

I thought the same, couldn't figure out why he returned to Russia when he could do more when he was free. Still, his courage is admirable, I wouldn't have been able to steel my nerves to do what's right in the face of these dangers.

[-] Deceptichum@kbin.social 23 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Going back to be locked up, abused, and die isn’t exactly “right”.

What’s better is to live another day to continue fighting.

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[-] Technofrood@feddit.uk 8 points 9 months ago

I mean I doubt he would have been safe even if he didn't go back. Maybe a little bit, but how long before he gets polonium tea, or nerve agented?

[-] s0ckpuppet@kbin.social 9 points 9 months ago

They already had tried to get him with Novichock and just barely didn't kill him. I'm sure they'd have tried again.

[-] resetbypeer@lemmy.world 38 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

The day we all knew was coming, sadly. The day he set foot on that plane back to Moscow from Germany, it was not a question of if but when this would happen.

[-] snownyte@kbin.social 37 points 9 months ago

The sacrifice was in vain, we know Putin is a shithead.

[-] rikudou@lemmings.world 30 points 9 months ago

Which "we" are you talking about? Because a lot of Russians vote for him (and I don't mean just the fake votes, but the real ones as well).

[-] some_designer_dude@lemmy.world 17 points 9 months ago

The Russian ballot box is a paper shredder that increments “Putin” by 1.

[-] Poem_for_your_sprog@lemmy.world 10 points 9 months ago

Votes don't matter in Russia

[-] Gullible@sh.itjust.works 12 points 9 months ago

They matter. You vote Putin or you vote Putin but the government notes your impropriety. Voting is a purity test.

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[-] asteriskeverything@lemmy.world 6 points 9 months ago

The Other Mr. President - by This American Life did a really great episode interviewing Russians on their thoughts and feelings on Putin.

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[-] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 32 points 9 months ago

If Russia is like the US with trump, then there’s the active population who are supporting Putin, because even if he’s a bastard, at least he hurts the right people. Then there’s an apathetic horde, who don’t care or are too beaten down to do anything. Then there’s the group that know what’s up and wants change.

The question is if Navalny’s death meant anything. The people who care are already at a disadvantage because of the authoritarian State, the supporters aren’t going to change, and the apathetic don’t have time to care. IMO he would have been better off, alive, outside of Russia and criticizing Putin.

[-] scemmy@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago

What you said could be true of any event, but reality is, each of these events influence apathetic people to either become supporters of the regime or anti-establishment.

At least, that's my theory. If not, there would never have been any progress in human society, if things are as static as you theorized.

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[-] profdc9@lemmy.world 26 points 9 months ago

Sergei Magnitsky already did this in 2009, but I suppose we needed a reminder.

[-] cosmicrookie@lemmy.world 25 points 9 months ago

Everybody know that Putin is a monster, except for the Russians. They need a revolution!

[-] maness300@lemmy.world 9 points 9 months ago

Russians know it to, they just can't do anything about it.

[-] buddascrayon@lemmy.world 7 points 9 months ago

They know. They just don't care because he's "their" monster. Nothing will change in the wake of Nelvany's death.

This is a harsh lesson in allowing the cult of personality into a democratic election. Everyone should have learned from Hitler's example but memories are apparently short lived. Now we have people like Netanyahu, Putin, and Trump and a world war is inevitable.

[-] rottingleaf@lemmy.zip 14 points 9 months ago

"They" do not hold any particular position. That would be because "they" hold a multitude of positions, at its extreme as many as there are people in the particular society we refer to as "they".

And lose the drama, because:

There are always such people.
Putin became president in 1999 and the last arguably democratic election in Russia was in 1996.
About Hitler - I think somebody skipped their history and doesn't know that European states didn't immediately cease to be colonialist just cause WWII ended and the new reality ensued. And Europeans would behave pretty hitleresque in colonies, think of French in Algeria or maybe Indochina.
It's spelled Navalny.

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[-] maness300@lemmy.world 25 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Did he really need to sacrifice himself for that?

Is there seriously anyone who was in denial until they learned about Navalny?

[-] Krzd@lemmy.world 23 points 9 months ago

Sadly, yes. Russian State Media is the only source of information for a lot of "normal" Russians. Although that sadly also means that his sacrifice most likely won't have a large impact on the Russian political landscape.

[-] maness300@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Then it's worse than I thought.

Kind of strange that a culture with so many pariahs seems to also have a stranglehold on any dissent.

I guess China is the same way, so I shouldn't be surprised.

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[-] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 20 points 9 months ago

Further investigation has revealed he died of a rare condition where his balls were just too damn big. There are a lot of people in Russia, but not many at all this brave and resolute. I hope his death awakens more of this rebellious spirit. All evil dictators have a tipping point. Nothing is impossible. Fuck Putin. Fuck the oligarchy. Fuck the propaganda machine. Fuck the military. Fuck them hard.

[-] Linkerbaan@lemmy.world 15 points 9 months ago

I don't understand why he returned to Russia just to get killed.

It doesn't seem to have achieved anything. Did he think the rigged Russian courts would save him?

Snowden and Assange doing everything they can to stay out of the claws of their fascist overlords, but Navalny just handed himself over to his...

[-] rdri@lemmy.world 17 points 9 months ago

Those who don't understand that paid little attention to his life and his fight. I suggest you checking out the Navalny documentary at least.

[-] Chocrates@lemmy.world 9 points 9 months ago

Got a title or a link for the uninformed?

[-] rdri@lemmy.world 14 points 9 months ago

It's called Navalny. They made it available for free here though not sure if proper subtitles are included https://navalny-film.io/

Otherwise it's on streaming platforms and torrents.

[-] Chocrates@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago

Awesome thank you

[-] summerof69@lemm.ee 11 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I don’t understand why he returned to Russia just to get killed.

Because in Russia you have to sacrifice yourself and suffer to be "real" politician, and not "stay in cozy Germany", "preaching from abroad". Navalny and other imprisoned politicians believe this too, they're the product of the same society after all.

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[-] Sylvartas@lemmy.world 14 points 9 months ago

Unfortunately I don't think his sacrifice is gonna achieve much. I'd love to be proven wrong though.

[-] mellowheat@suppo.fi 4 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I think a good analogy is Claus von Stauffenberg. A german army colonel who in July 1944 tried to assassinate Hitler and very nearly succeeded.

He was not a great person given his position, but did a very brave thing eventually and is now revered as somebody who at least tried.

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[-] xc2215x@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago

Putin was one already.

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this post was submitted on 16 Feb 2024

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