Anger Over Corruption And Navalny's Jailing May Be Redefining Russian Politics
An injured protester expresses his rage at riot police in Moscow on January 23.
“Putin’s a thief!”
The chant rang out in cities across Russia on January 23, as crowds took to the streets from Vladivostok in the Far East to Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea and were met with a forceful police crackdown as opposition leader Aleksei Navalny’s showdown with the Kremlin entered a new phase.
The last time Russia saw a day of rallies with such geographic scope was in March 2017, after Navalny released a video alleging corruption by then-Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. This time, an immediate catalyst appeared to be a video report targeting the wealth of President Vladimir Putin himself.
The nationwide demonstrations were initiated by the Kremlin’s most vocal critic, who languishes in jail, and staged under the slogan “Free Navalny!” But analysts say that the “Palace for Putin” investigation has combined with anger over Navalny’s jailing in a way that may reorient the political balance in Russia going forward.
“There are two different motives for the protesters, but they are converging,” political analyst Abbas Gallyamov told RFE/RL. “Navalny is becoming synonymous with the fight against corruption.”
Navalny returned to Russia on January 17 after five months in Germany recovering from the effects of a nerve-agent poisoning he blames on Putin, apparently banking on enough popular support to help him escape a long prison sentence threatened by the authorities – and mount a robust challenge to Putin’s power.
The following day, he was jailed for a month pending a court hearing on parole violation charges that could land him behind bars for 3 1/2 years. Before he was led away, he called on Russians to hit the streets in a huge show of solidarity.
In the video report released the next day – which has now been seen more than 70 million times on YouTube -- he told his viewers that Putin and his associates “will keep stealing more and more until they bankrupt the whole country.”
Revealing what the investigative report says is a $1.36 billion palace on the Black Sea that ultimately belongs to Putin, Navalny said: “Russia sells huge amounts of oil, gas, metals, fertilizer, and timber -- but people’s incomes keep falling and falling, because Putin has his palace.”
Russians responded in droves on January 23, protesting in at least 60 cities and braving winter temperatures that plunged as low as minus 52 degrees Celsius in Yakutsk, Siberia. Many held placards and signs citing the "Palace For Putin" investigation and denouncing official corruption.
Police reacted with force, wading into peaceful protests, wielding batons and shields to disperse crowds, and filling riot vans with activists -- including Navalny’s wife, Yulia Navalnaya, who had returned with him to Moscow from Germany. By late evening in Moscow, more than 3,400 people had been detained across the country, according to the OVD-Info protest monitor group.
Russian state TV largely ignored the protests, but pro-government online streams baselessly accused Navalny of brainwashing Russia’s youth into dissent, a line often advanced by the authorities in attempts to discredit the opposition movement.
“It’s not their own kids that they’re bringing out,” a guest on an online chat show run by the state-owned RT channel said about Navalny and his allies. “Navalny’s kids aren’t even in Russia!”
But evidence of mass teenage participation appeared slim. In Moscow, an estimated 40,000 people came to a protest in central Pushkin Square, with few minors visible in the crowd. A 14-year-old boy who told a reporter he had come “to have a look” was later roughly detained by police amid cries of, “He’s just a child!”
Navalny’s call for a protest in the midst of winter and the COVID-19 pandemic was seen as a gamble and a test of his ability to mount significant support for a new push against Putin, who has been in power for two decades and last year, in a referendum lambasted by critics, secured the right to run for reelection in 2024 and again in 2030.
It was not immediately clear whether the sizable, widespread protests would result in Navalny avoiding a lengthy prison sentence. In 2013, large rallies in his support outside the Kremlin and other Moscow landmarks were credited with getting his five-year prison sentence suspended.
“If protests on January 23 don’t bring about an immediate result -- the release of Aleksei Navalny -- then such events will happen again and again,” Navalny aide Leonid Volkov told Current Time, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA.
IN PHOTOS: Navalny Supporters Brave Police Crackdown To Demand His Release
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
2/23In Khabarovsk, 6,100 kilometers east of Moscow
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
3/23Police block thousands of protesters in St. Petersburg.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
4/23In Khabarovsk, 6,100 kilometers east of Moscow
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
11/23A man holds a placard reading "One for all, all for one" during a rally in Omsk.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
16/23An RFE/RL correspondent in Moscow reported that authorities were arresting individuals as they started to gather in the Russian capital's Pushkin Square ahead of the planned demonstration there.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved brutally cold weather and police crackdowns across Russia on January 23 to call for the release of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, a Kremlin critic jailed last week upon returning to Moscow after medical treatment in Germany for poisoning.
Previous slide
Next slide
The future of Russia’s embattled opposition movement also remains uncertain, but the size of the protests -- even in the face of a concerted weeklong crackdown aimed at thwarting them -- suggests that a substantial number of Russians may be determined to keep up the pressure.
Tatyana Stanovaya, a political analyst, said that the Russian authorities "made two critical mistakes -- Navalny's poisoning and his arrest," suggesting that instead of sidelining him, the Kremlin has only strengthened his base.
"The results of many, many years of painstaking work by the Kremlin to push the real opposition" to the political margins "were ceremoniously buried today in a single day," Stanovaya wrote on Telegram.
The harsh police response and high number of arrests also point to what could be a bitter and protracted standoff if the rallies persist in the weeks ahead, especially with potentially pivotal parliamentary elections due to be held in September.
Inside 'Putin's Palace'
1/20A drone photo of the palace, which sits some 18 kilometers down the coast from the popular Russian holiday town of Gelendzhik
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
2/20According to anti-corruption activist Aleksei Navalny, the facility and a vast swath of land surrounding it are registered to Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), which claims to be using the land for "research and educational activities."
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
4/20Navalny says he is in possession of leaked construction plans for the property. In the construction blueprint, this feature is labeled an "aqua discotheque."
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
5/20An amphitheater undergoing renovation on the sprawling coastal residence. The property has been under construction for the past 15 years and major renovations are still ongoing.
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
6/20An aerial view shows the alleged hockey rink (bottom left) next to two helipads. The buildings on the curved road in the foreground are believed to be for the scores of construction workers who were visible in drone footage captured by Navalny's team.
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
7/20A green-tiled church is located on the property, which Navalny claims is "the most secret and closely guarded facility in Russia."
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
8/20An alleged greenhouse on the palace grounds
Along with a no-fly zone over the facility, boats sailing past the palace are required to maintaina distance of at least one nautical mile (1.8 kilometers).
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
9/20Ten kilometers down the coast from the palace is this vineyard, with a sprawling chateau allegedly owned by people with close links to Putin.
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
10/20Vast rows of grapevines grow at the winery. The chateau can be seen on the left in this picture. Wine from this vineyard is served at many official Kremlin functions.
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
11/20As well as drone photographs of these Black Sea properties, Navalny's team created several digital illustrations of the interior of the palatial residence, such as this one. The illustrations are based on the leaked plans of the building and records of Italian furniture that have been ordered for the property.
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
12/20This is a digital rendering of a theater shown in the building plans. Navalny acknowledges that some details of the renderings of the palace and its rooms may differ from reality.
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
13/20A digital rendering of the seating at the palace theater
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
14/20The rendering of this interior is based on photographs taken inside the residence by workers during its construction.
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
15/20A rendering of a marble-lined bar in the palace. Much of the furniture was reportedly sourced from luxury Italian brands, which are so exclusive that their catalogues must be personally ordered by potential clients.
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
16/20This rendering is of a room in the palace that allegedly features a dancing pole.
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
17/20A digital rendering of a casino that is featured in the plans of the palace
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
18/20A rendering of a room alleged to be used by Putin himself. Gymnastic equipment at the far left of the digital image is an apparent reference to Alina Kabayeva, a gold-medal gymnast widely believed to be Putin's partner.
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
19/20Nine kilometers north of the main facility this second, newer vineyard has been built, and was photographed by the investigative team with a drone. In December 2017, a local environmentalist was severely beaten by unknown men after investigating an illegal forest clearance during the vineyard's construction.
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
20/20Near the second vineyard stands an Orthodox church that was allegedly imported, brick by brick, from Greece.
In response to the allegations that the vast properties were built for Putin on the Black Sea coast, his spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, claimed not to know about Navalny's investigation. But Peskov told Russian media: "I can immediately say that this is an old record. We explained many years ago that Putin does not have any palace in Gelendzhik."
Images made by Aleksei Navalny's anti-corruption team reveal the astonishing scale and luxury of a property on Russia's Black Sea coast purportedly used by Vladimir Putin as his personal "palace."
Previous slide
Next slide
In the meantime, Putin’s popularity has slipped amid the pandemic and anger over what many view as inadequate state support during Russia’s attendant economic crisis. The president has spent much of the time in recent months at his residence outside Moscow, making few public appearances.
Neither has he commented publicly on Navalny’s report about the Black Sea palace, which his spokesman quickly dismissed as “lies.”
“Navalny has taken over the initiative,” analyst Gallyamov said. “Now the state is defending itself.”
Matthew Luxmoore is a Moscow-based journalist covering Russia and the former Soviet Union. He has reported for The New York Times in Moscow and has written for The Guardian, Politico, The New Republic, and Foreign Policy. He’s a graduate of Harvard’s Davis Center and a recipient of New York University's Reporting Award and the Fulbright Alistair Cooke Journalism Award.
