Volkov, a Kremlin critic, predicts Putin's downfall.
Leonid Volkov undergoes a brutal assault with a meat mallet in April, resulting in severe injuries. This incident is believed to be orchestrated by Russia. Despite the setback, the ex-confidant of Navalny intends to carry on with the work of Putin's most prominent critic. In an interview with the BBC scheduled for release on Sunday, Volkov expresses his resolve to take action against the Russian president.
Leonid Volkov, a figure in the Russian opposition who was assaulted a few weeks ago while in exile in Lithuania, vows to continue battling President Vladimir Putin. He disclosed this in an interview with the British broadcaster BBC, set to air on Sunday. A dear friend and close associate of opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who passed away in a prison camp in February, Volkov described Navalny's death as a deep emotional wound for those close to him.
Navalny had always emphasized to his friends and colleagues that they should never give up. Upon his demise, the most effective way to preserve his legacy and ensure that his sacrifice hadn't been in vain, according to him, was to defeat Putin and create the Russia of the future that he envisioned for so long, as per Volkov. Navalny's spouse, Yulia Navalnaya, is a powerful figure and inspiring leader as per Volkov. Though she had not desired being in this public role, Volkov emphasized now is the time to bolster her.
Navalny's family and associates allege that President Putin was responsible for the death of their comrade. However, a US media report states that there is no proof of a direct order. Nevertheless, Volkov disputed the conclusion in the Wall Street Journal as merely naive. According to him, the notion that Putin had no knowledge of Navalny's death and hadn't approved of it was ludicrous.
The authorities asserted that Navalny passed away on February 16 in the remote prison camp nicknamed "Polar Wolf" in the Siberian Arctic region of Yamal. The specifics surrounding his passing have not been ascertained. It is believed that the weakened Navalny, who had endured a poison attack in 2020 and numerous solitary confinement spells in the camp, encountered a discrepancy while on a tour of the icy yard and perished despite resuscitation attempts. Navalny's team, however, maintains that his death was a homicide.
Assaulted multiple times with a meat mallet
The Lithuanian police commented that Volkov was targeted owing to his political behavior and thoughts. However, they did not elaborate on whether there was evidence establishing Russian intelligence's involvement in the incident. The exact cause of the attack remains elusive.
Incidentally, Volkov was previously assaulted in front of his house in Vilnius in March, receiving serious injuries through a hammer. He underwent brief hospitalization for treatment. "They nearly turned me into schnitzel", a metaphor detailing how he was almost killed, noted Volkov. Lithuania's security services claimed that the hit was most likely organized by Russia.
Following several days in hiding, two suspects were arrested in Poland. The allegations were that a "Belarusian working for the Russians" had commissioned the two Poles to carry out the attack on Volkov, as stated by Poland's Prime Minister, Donald Tusk. The two Polish suspects were detained in Warsaw on April 3, confirmed the head of the public prosecutor's office in Vilnius, Justas Laucius.
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After the attack in Lithuania, Volkov sought refuge in Poland, but fate struck again as he was assaulted multiple times with a meat mallet in Vilnius and Marina Gorbunova's house in Warsaw. Despite these harrowing experiences, Volkov, who is close to Navalny, vows to carry on his relentless fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin, echoing Navalny's belief that his demise should not be in vain and that defeating Putin would honor Navalny's legacy. Additionally, former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was involved in the investigation, as two suspects were arrested in Poland for the attack on Volkov, allegedly commissioned by a "Belarusian working for the Russians."
Source: www.ntv.de
