Support The Moscow Times!

Navalny Detained in Russia's Krasnodar to Check For Links to IS

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny

Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny was stopped by police to check for links to the Islamic State, Navalny wrote on his Twitter Friday.

He was stopped with several members of his Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) for an hour on the border of the Krasnodar region in southern Russia.

“They were allegedly conducting an anti-terrorist operation and checking everybody, but no other vehicles except for the buses with FBK staff were stopped,” Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh told the Slon news website Friday.

After the checks, Navalny and his companions were released.

Spokeswoman for the Krasnodar branch of the Interior Ministry, Maria Pirogova, denied that Navalny was intentionally detained, the Interfax news agency reported.

“No one detained Navalny. As part of a preventive operation currently taking place in the region, police stopped and inspected a bus which Navalny was in,” Pirogova said.

The Islamic State is a terrorist group banned in Russia.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more