(Transitions) Alexei Navalny’s return to Moscow on 17 January is a pivotal moment in Russian history. His decision to go home after five months recuperating in Berlin was an act of extraordinary bravery, one with few parallels in modern times.
He knew that he faced almost certain imprisonment, and possibly death. The only uncertainty is how long he will be held in prison – one month, one year, 10 years?
So why did Navalny return?
Russia politics now seems reduced to a battle of wills between Vladimir Putin and Alexei Navalny. It is a grossly unequal combat, since Putin has all the resources of the state at his disposal, from a compliant legal system to military-grade chemical weapons. […]
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Colin and Nancy Campbell Professor in Global Issues and Democratic Thought, Government Department
Affiliation
Wesleyan University
Expertise
Contemporary Russian Politics and Political Economy, Nationalism
