Alexei Navalny death latest: Putin critic’s ‘bruised body seen in morgue’ as

The Kremlin may hope his death serves as a deterrent to those toying with opposition activism, but in truth it makes the Russian president’s fiercest critic a hero and a martyr, writes Mary Dejevsky.

Read Mary’s piece in full here:

Former Republican representative Liz Cheney has warned of a Republican Party “Putin wing” after Donald Trump failed to criticise Russia following the death of Alexei Navalny.

“We have to take seriously the extent to which you’ve now got a Putin-wing of the Republican Party,” she told CNN’s State of the Union programme.

“I believe the issue this election cycle is making sure that the Putin-wing of the Republican Party does not take over the West Wing of the White House,” she added.

The former president has so far avoided any meaningful comment on the death of Mr Navalny, whose allies say he was murdered by the Russian state.

Mr Trump has only pledged on social media to “bring peace, prosperity and stability” if he is given another term in the White House.

Niki Haley, Mr Trump’s rival for the Republican Party nomination for president, criticised him for not taking a tougher approach with the Kremlin.

“Either he sides with Putin and thinks it’s cool that Putin killed one of his political opponents – or he just doesn’t think it’s that big of a deal,” Ms Haley told ABC News This Week.

“Either one of those is concerning. Either one of those is a problem.”

The director of the Oscar-winning Navalny documentary has said he is “delighted and not surprised” by Alexei Navalny’s wife addressing world leaders in Germany hours after her husband’s death was reported.

Canadian Daniel Roher became close to the Navalny family when he interviewed them before the Russian opposition leader was sent to prison in 2021, and has continued to stay in touch with them.

The documentary filmmaker told the PA news agency: “The strength of Yulia Navalnaya (has) been well documented, we see it in her poise (and) grace, the sort of first lady in waiting status way that she facilitates herself.

“I was delighted and not surprised when I saw her… take that podium, for a very commanding two-minute address, where for a brief moment, she got to be the moral centre of the universe.

“I don’t know how the political structure of the organisation and Yulia will change in the next couple of weeks and months, but I know that the family is passionate and activated and now perhaps vengeful.”

He also said he has no “reason to be surprised” at the death of the Navalny, but he was “shocked” at hearing the news. “Anyone who follows the Navalny story or has seen the documentary for that matter knows how ever present this possibility lingered but in spite of that, I registered this as shock,” Mr Roher added.

That Navalny lost his life at the same time that world leaders were meeting at the Munich Security Conference doesn’t feel like much of a…