Navalny Says Putin Regime ‘Sooner Or Later. . .Will Be Fixed’ In First Jail Interview - Forbes

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Topline

Imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime “a historical accident” that will “sooner or later … be fixed” when Russia becomes a democracy, which Navalny believes is inevitable, the dissident told The New York Times in his first interview from jail.

Key Facts

In written answers to the newspaper, Navalny wrote that Putin was only able to seize power after he was tapped to become acting president in 1999 by former president Boris Yeltsin, whom he called “corrupt.”

Navalny described putting pressure on Putin by having his organization endorse candidates in next month’s local and parliamentary elections that stand a chance against Putin allies, even if it means lending support to moderate politicians not in Navalny’s party.

Putin responded by barring candidates tied to Navalny-related groups from running, but also cracked down on moderate politicians and independent media outlets, a heavy-handed move Navalny said could make Putin more enemies in the long run.

There’s also a growing group of middle-class, educated, urban Russians who don’t feel represented in Russia’s political climate, Navalny said, and aren’t drawn to any of the country’s political parties loyal to Putin.

Navalny has sparked thousands of people to march in cities across the country earlier this year to protest his imprisonment, the largest demonstrations the country has seen in decades.

Crucial Quote

“The Putin regime is an historical accident, not an inevitability,” Navalny wrote to the Times. “Sooner or later, this mistake will be fixed, and Russia will move on to a democratic, European path of development. Simply because that is what the people want.”

Tangent

Navalny also slammed the U.S. and other European nations for passing sanctions against Russia on behalf of him and other dissidents. Navalny said the sanctions hurt everyday Russians the most, and rarely affect the oligarchs who make up Putin’s government. Those responsible have “an army of lawyers, lobbyists and bankers, fighting for the right of owners of dirty and bloody money to remain unpunished,” he wrote.

Surprising Fact

Navalny, who is known for his sense of humor, joked about his daily routine in the interview. “When we cook, I always remember the classic scene from Goodfellas when the mafia bosses cook pasta in a prison cell,” Navalny wrote to the Times. “Unfortunately, we don’t have such a cool pot, and pasta is forbidden. Still, it’s fun.”

Key Background

Navalny was sentenced to nearly three years in prison earlier this year after being convicted of violating the terms of his probation related to a years-old conviction that Navaly claims is bogus and politically-motivated. The alleged probation violation occurred while Navalny was in a coma after being nearly killed by a Soviet-era nerve agent and rushed to a German hospital. Navalny and his allies believe he was poisoned on an order from Putin, a claim backed up by a joint investigation from Bellingcat, The Insider, Der Spiegel and CNN that found evidence that Navalny had been stalked for nearly three years by government agents specializing in poisons. The Russian government denies the allegations.