Leonid Volkov, a prominent critic of the Russian government and former aide to Alexei Navalny, was assaulted with a hammer and tear gas outside his home in Vilnius, raising concerns for the safety of Russian dissidents abroad.
Leonid Volkov, a former aide to the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, was attacked with a hammer and sprayed with tear gas outside his home in Vilnius, Lithuania. The 43-year-old, who has been a vocal critic of the Russian government, sustained injuries from the attack and was hospitalized. The assault occurred in the context of heightened concerns for the safety of Navalny’s associates following Navalny’s death in a Siberian prison under dubious circumstances.
Volkov served as Navalny’s chief of staff during the 2018 presidential campaign against Vladimir Putin. The recent attack on him is particularly alarming, as it marks a significant escalation in the threats faced by Navalny’s allies, who have been living in exile due to persecution from Moscow. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation, with figures like Pussy Riot member Nadya Tolokonnikova denouncing Putin, and Lithuania’s foreign minister vowing that those responsible will be brought to justice.
This attack comes on the heels of Navalny’s funeral on March 1 and in the lead-up to presidential elections in Russia, against a backdrop of crackdowns on Navalny’s associates. Navalny’s widow has urged for peaceful protests against Putin’s regime. Lithuanian authorities are investigating the assault on Volkov, which has reignited concerns over the safety of Russian dissidents abroad.
