Unidentified attackers beat up an activist campaigning for hospitalized Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk, his colleagues said Thursday.
Alexei Baraboshkin, the local coordinator for Navalny, was "assaulted by unknown attackers" late Wednesday after receiving threats for several weeks, his campaign office wrote on Telegram.
It posted a picture of him with a bruised and bleeding eye.
Navalny is being treated in Germany for poisoning with Novichok in an incident that has sparked international condemnation and the threat of sanctions against Russia.
The Kremlin critic was leading a nationwide tactical voting campaign aimed at pushing out the ruling party in polls this weekend for regional and local assemblies.
Doctors suspected the Chelyabinsk campaigner suffered a fractured skull and concussion, according to a medical document posted by his team, who said the attackers did not take his money or phone.
A police spokeswoman in Chelyabinsk said officers were carrying out a check after receiving a report from the hospital, the RIA Novosti state news agency reported.
Chelyabinsk residents on Sunday will vote for regional and municipal deputies.
Early voting will begin nationwide from Friday, in a move to reduce the coronavirus risk at polling stations, while opposition activists fear this will make it easier to falsify the results.
Regional campaigners for Navalny have reported numerous threats and acts of intimidation as well as regular searches of their homes and detentions by police.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
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 every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
