What to remember from the posthumous interview with Russian rival Alexei Naval

This is a thirty-seven minute video that never wasNever aired. In the images, Alexei Navalny answers questions from La République en Marche deputy Jacques Maire. It’s December 2020, in a hotel in Berlin, and anti-Russian is still alive. Alive and free to move. Confronted by a French parliamentarian, he talks about the poisoning attempt he has just suffered, Vladimir Putin and his death, which he already knows is inevitable. Franceinfo summarizes what you need to remember from this posthumous interview, published by Thursday March 7 publication and LCI.

On interview terms

The meeting took place on December 17, 2020 in a high-security hotel in Berlin. At the time, it was in the German capital that the Russian opponent was treated after the poisoning attempt, which almost cost him his life. Jacques Maire, a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, traveled to question him as part of an inquiry conducted by the Council of Europe.

Wants a chosen one “Legally Qualify the Facts”

and establish the responsibility of the Russian authorities. At the time of the hearing, Moscow was still a member of the Council of Europe, Europe’s leading human rights body. In this filmed statement, Vladimir Putin’s opponent answers questions in English. A month from now, the anti-Russian will board a plane, head to Russia and jail.

This hearing lasted about forty minutes “wasn’t meant to be” declared. HASWith the explanation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Jacques Mayer presents this new video for public discussion. Because that’s about it “Documents of Public Interest for History”Reacts to the former deputy in the column of publication. it is “There is also a way to pay tribute (for novel). Because everyone who watches this video sees this man who comes out of the hospital, who has just been poisoned and who says to himself: ‘I’m going to war again tomorrow’.”

On Secret Service surveillance

In this interview, Alexei Navalny laid out the beginning of his problems with the Kremlin after his success in the Moscow municipal elections in 2013, when he announced his intention to run for the presidency. This is where, he said, the secret services “Began to see me.” “And then, all of a sudden, they started following me on every trip.”

“It’s a routine, every time I go somewhere I’m watched.”

Alexei Navalny, anti-Russian

And the anti-Russian continues: “When I travel there is regular surveillance by the police or FSB with local employees. And in Moscow too. Always. But it is very easy to find them: they just follow you. , these men pretend to talk on the phone. ”

on his poison

Despite the seriousness of the circumstances, the atmosphere between Jacques Mayer and Alexey Naval seems light. Coffee in hand, the Russian adversary recounts the August 20, 2020, poisoning attempt he suffered a few months earlier. With a touch of humour, he described the carefully prepared operation, “Perfect for Hollywood”. “I have no doubt that these people have been following me for four years”It continues. This is not an easy operation, it requires a lot of preparation. Even if you’re from the FSB, you can’t go to a hotel and say, ‘Open this door for me.’ There is a camera. You don’t know if it will leak or not.”

“Those who poisoned me, they are a very secret department. Even within the FSB, no one knows them.”

Alexei Navalny, anti-Russian

In front of a French parliamentarian, he goes so far as to advance his theories. “The product I drank could be in a Negroni, on a pillow, a towel, soap or a bottle of water in a hotel room”, it lists. Before adding the pejorative: “The Beauty of Novichok”, it is “No one can know when and how you were poisoned”.

At its end he knew it was inevitable

At the time of the hearing, Alexei Navalny already intended to return to his country. Jacques Maire asks him a question: does he think he will be arrested on his return? Alexei Navalny hesitates. “That’s a question I don’t like to answer., That explains. They make constant threats, they have seized my apartment and my bank accounts. (…) Will I be arrested at the airport? Or since then? I have no idea.”

However, it is certain that his imprisonment in Russia will not slow down the protest movement he started. To the French elected official, it also gives confidence that it is no longer necessary for this cause “Who knows how to work.” In the image, he is standing here: “If they kill me, it won’t change anything, because there are others who are ready to replace me.”

“My teams know how to work without me, I spend a lot of time in prison every year, they are used to it. Of course, it will be more difficult. (…) But there are other people who can lead. .”

Alexei Navalny, anti-Russian

A month after uttering this sentence, on January 17, 2021, Alexei Navalny went to Russia. When he landed in Moscow, he was arrested by the police after passing through passport control. This was their last second of freedom. He died on February 16, 2024, in an Arctic penal colony. where he was serving a 19-year prison sentence

“Extremism”.