Yulia Navalnaya Has Taken Over for Her Deceased Russian Dissident Husband in More Ways Than One

As Vladimir Putin aims to strengthen his hold on Ukraine and the rest of the former Soviet Union, his opponents are still speaking out. His loudest dissident was Alexei Navalny, a political opponent who advocated for a free and democratic Russia instead of the country’s current dictatorship led by Putin. But Navalny died mysteriously in a Russian prison in February 2024, survived by his wife, Yulia Navalnaya, and their two kids, Daria, now 23 years old, and Zakhar, now 16 years old.

Standing by Alexei’s side, Yulia started to build up a fanbase of her own as the “first lady” of the Russian opposition. Now, just a few months after her husband’s death, which many believe was the work of Putin and his political party, Yulia is Russia’s newest target. A warrant has gone out for her arrest “in absentia,” but where is Yulia Navalnaya living now?

Because of Russia’s precarious political position among potential allies and enemies, they have very few partnerships that allow extradition. This means that many Russian political prisoners are able to flee the country to one with amnesty, typically any of the NATO countries. When Alexei was first detained in 2021 when they returned to Russia from Germany, Yulia was on the frontlines of advocating for his release.

Until then, Yulia had largely stayed out of politics. She was called “the Decembrist’s wife,” and despite advocating for his freedom post-Alexei’s 2021 imprisonment (and sentence extension), she told TIME, “I knew about these talks,” referring to the conversations between Alexei’s allies on how to free him. “But I didn’t participate in them.”

But after Alexei died, Yulia went full force on harnessing her political potential and prowess. She posted an 8-minute video on Alexei’s channels to inspire their followers, saying, “We will take on board everything that can be useful to fight Putin, to fight for the beautiful Russia of the future. She added that Putin “killed the father of [her] children, Putin took away the most precious thing that was [her] closest and most beloved person.”

Yulia also reiterated at the time, "There should have been another person in my place, but this person was killed by Vladimir Putin.”

She continued to push authorities to investigate the truth of her husband’s death, which she firmly believes was in the hands of Vladimir Putin and his contemporaries. She met with President Joe Biden in San Francisco shortly after Alexei’s death, and Joe corroborated Yulia’s claims.

“The fact of the matter is: Putin is responsible, whether he ordered it or he is responsible for the circumstances he put that man in,” Biden told CNN and other reporters, despite the Kremlin’s denial of this. “And he’s — it’s a reflection of who he is. And it just cannot be tolerated.” Smartly, because of her experience and outspoken nature, Yulia and her kids have remained outside Russia for their safety.

After Alexei’s arrest, Yulia knew the authorities could come for his family, so she and her children moved to Germany, where Zakhar was enrolled in boarding school. Their daughter, Daria, was studying at Stanford University in the United States. Yulia traveled between her kids in Germany, the U.S., and the headquarters of Alexei’s activist group, Anti-Corruption Foundation, which is based in Vilnius, Lithuania.

On July 1, 2024, Yulia was named the new chairperson of the Human Rights Foundation. She was also recognized by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of 2024. Her increasing political activity and leadership put a target on her, so it’s no surprise that Russia is calling for her arrest for “participation in an extremist society.”

Yulia responded on X, formerly Twitter, condemning the Kremlin. “When you write about this, please don't forget to write the main thing: Vladimir Putin is a murderer and a war criminal,” she wrote. “He belongs in prison, not in a comfortable cell in The Hague with a television, but in Russia — in the same type of colony and the same two-by-three-meter cell in which he killed Alexei.”

In an official statement from the Human Rights Foundation, she added, “Today’s verdict reveals Putin’s deeply rooted insecurity. Labeling peaceful, nonviolent opponents as ‘extremists’ and ‘terrorists’ is a common tactic of repression. Putin seeks to silence me and the voices of millions of Russians who challenge his murderous and kleptocratic regime.”

The founder of HRF, Thor Halovrssen, said on the record regarding the warrant for Yulia: “Today’s arrest warrant is a laughable absurdity that reveals the moral corruption and doublespeak of a regime made up of murderous extremists. It is also a testament to Navalny’s legacy and Yulia as a torchbearer of the legitimate Russian opposition. Even after Navalny’s death, Putin still fears him and the movement he created.”