On Saturday there was a lot of fighting in Russia. In more than 120 cities, people took to the streets in protest against Navalny’s arrest and Putin’s rule.
The man who called for this protest was Alexei Navalny himself, the opposition leader who had returned to Russia last week after recovering from his poisoning with the nerve agent novichok in Berlin. The Russian secret service would be behind it.
Peeking in at Putin’s
Now Navalny is stuck. He faces a sentence of 3.5 years in prison, but in combination with a second court case that could well be 10 years longer. He does not sit still: after his incarceration, the video was published in which Navalny shows images of Putin’s gigantic villa, with a price tag of about 1 billion euros:
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The video is circulating in Russia and has been viewed more than 86 million times. Until recently Putin’s private life was a mystery.
‘Brainwashing the population’
But according to Putin, it is all a big fabrication. Today the president called the video “a boring compilation to brainwash the population.” He would also not have watched the video himself ‘due to lack of time’.
That Putin denies is no surprise, says correspondent Hartog. “His spokesperson has previously denied the allegations. But that he is doing it personally now is telling.”
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“The Kremlin apparently feels the need to defend itself. Putin throws his own weight behind it to make it more credible.”
Navalny the troublemaker
Because the Kremlin has to do something: support for Navalny is growing. “It was always pretended that Navalny was too small to pay attention to,” says Hartog. “Putin never mentions him by name. He didn’t do that today either, because that would be a recognition of his status.”
But the video, combined with the protests, is too big to ignore. Navalny is portrayed as a villain by state media journalists and pro-Kremlin politicians. “Navalny is portrayed as someone who tries to stir up unrest and is supported by the west. It’s now going hard.”
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A new demonstration is planned for Sunday. “Then we will see if this movement continues. Protesting in large numbers will become a bit more difficult, many people in key positions have been arrested,” says Hartog.
Putin called last Saturday’s protests ‘illegal and dangerous’. According to him, “no one should organize such a protest to promote his own political interests.” More than 3,000 people have been arrested, 15 of whom are now on criminal proceedings.
Do not underestimate the effect
Putin’s words and actions should calm the wave of protest. “Putin still has authority as head of state. He wants to convince the passive Russian not to demonstrate. But what is now in the air is not so easy to reverse.”
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On February 2 it may be announced whether Navalny will disappear behind bars for years. Hartog: “The demand is that he be released completely. Most protesters somehow know that the chance of this is very small. Giving in to the pressure from outside would be a huge sign of weakness for the Kremlin. Moreover, they now see Navalny as an enemy. number 1.”
Meanwhile, the European Union is holding sanctions against Russia, according to a meeting this morning of EU foreign ministers. They give Russia some time to release Navalny.
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