Russia has launched an investigation into opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s associates over an “extremist” donation campaign. Close associates Leonid Volkov and Ivan Zhdanov are the main targets of the investigation.
Volkov and Zhdanov are currently in exile and therefore do not live in Russia now. Together with other employees of Navalny’s team, they are said to have raised money for now banned organization of the Kremlin critic. The Russian government sees the organization as an extremist.
Volkov was one of the main organizers of demonstrations after Navalny was arrested and later convicted. He was already living abroad at the time.
Recently, Ljubov Sobol, a lawyer and ally of Navalny, also fled Russia. Last week, the court restricted her freedom of movement because of her role in the protests early this year. Shortly after the verdict, she fled to Turkey to leave for an unknown destination.