Navalny's Parents Express Gratitude Amidst Memorial Service Restrictions

Yulia Navalnaya shared a handwritten note from the parents of Alexei Navalny, now deceased. In it, they acknowledged the individuals who paid their respects at his gravesite, noting that such acts of remembrance bring them hope.

The widow also highlighted that March 9 is designated as Ecumenical Parents' Saturday, a traditional day for honoring the memory of ancestors and the departed.

"Today marks Ecumenical Parents' Saturday, a day dedicated to remembering those we have lost. The parents of Alexei wish to extend their heartfelt thanks to everyone who has visited, to pay their respects and remember him," Yulia Navalnaya wrote on the X platform.

"Our gratitude goes out to everyone who shares our grief and extends their sympathy. Your visits to the cemetery, the flowers you bring, the stories you share about Alexei, and your prayers all mean the world to us," the letter conveyed.

At Alexei Navalny's memorial service, Russian police prevented thousands from entering to bid farewell to the opposition figure. Those gathered outside began chanting Navalny's name, along with rallying cries of "We are not afraid" and "Russia will be free". Navalny's journey to the cemetery was accompanied by a sea of flowers covering his coffin.

The sudden demise of Navalny was announced by Russian authorities on February 16. As President Vladimir Putin's most formidable adversary, Navalny's passing occurred in a remote camp above the Arctic Circle, where he was completing a 19-year sentence. Previously, he had been at risk of facing up to 30 years. The authorities denied his closest relatives the custody of his body.