Navalny’s death: did the Russians who participated in the tribute sent to the front?

In Russia, “all men participating in rallies in tribute to Navalny” will receive a military summons.

The declassified documents prove nothing and their validity is contested by NGOs.

This rumor is spread by the Russian propaganda network to terrorize the opposition.

The Russian opposition now has no leader, and some of its members are now expected to go to war. Internet users claimed this Tuesday, March 12 that in Russia “All the men attending the convention” Alexei Navalny would have received a summons after his death in tribute. In supporting documents, they assert that Moscow will try to undermine the opposition by sending these men to serve in the Russian military in Ukraine. Has this threat really been carried out? We have checked.

The Kremlin expands on relay rumours

If the publication was widely shared by pro-Ukraine accounts to show the arrogance of the Russian regime, we actually found traces of it on social networks close to the Kremlin. It was Ridovka, a Russian online media outlet, that was at the origin of this information, which was published on March 11, with an ironic commentary on it. “Victims” of opposition. In his article, this media that actively supports the invasion of Ukraine actually states that “The opposition has once again misled its remaining supporters.” Accused Russian opposition leaders “Continuous lying from Europe”The media suggests that following them “provocation”participants “attract serious trouble”. “And, in some cases, their life plans had to be said goodbye forever.”Adds publication.

Supporting documents, media reports, without ever writing the name “Navalny”, K “Funeral Attendees of Our Non-Opposition Ex-Leader Start Getting Summons” March 13, 14 and 15 to go to the police station to serve the Russian army in Ukraine. The photos were then widely shared by Kremlin relays. On Telegram, Russian propaganda man, Sergei Karnaukhov published “difference” which exists between the leaders of the opposition and its members. “One writes blog posts and the other receives a military summons.”

What do we really know about this rumor? According to our research, the three documents actually correspond to official forms sent by the Russian government for recruitment. If this file is generally synonymous with recruitment in the Russian Armed Forces, it does not always mean that its recipient is going forward. He just needs to go to the military station indicated to him. Independent media proofs also show this. In an article on the subject, a Russian news site notes that the reason for the summons is “Request for Clarification of Information”.

To learn more on this topic, we turned to various publications of the Russian human rights NGO OVD-Info, which recorded all arrests of participants in rallies in tribute to Alexei Navalny. And we find no warning of cases of men being sent to the front to salute the memory of the enemy. And for good reason, NGOs cite misinformation. Speaking to TF1info, its spokesman, Dmitry Piskunov, revealed that if some men received the letter, “Those who went to military registration offices with these instructions” was able to return home. “We told them they didn’t have a problem.”.

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If Russian propaganda welcomes the summons sent to these men, the rumor has been widely amplified so that all the men believed to be members of the opposition are at the front. A new way to scare local people just days before the Russian presidential election.

Do you want to ask us questions or submit information that you don’t believe is reliable? Do not hesitate to write to us at lesverifiers@tf1.fr. Also find us on X: Our team behind the @verif_TF1LCI account.