The Polish Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the arrest of a Russian man accused of helping organize attacks on allies of Alexei Navalny, a late Kremlin critic. Navalny’s team published an investigation claiming that Leonid Nevzlin, an exiled billionaire and associate of Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, orchestrated attacks on Navalny’s allies in various countries. Nevzlin denied the accusations, stating that he had no involvement in any attacks. According to Navalny’s team, Nevzlin allegedly ordered an attack on Leonid Volkov in Lithuania through a lawyer named Anatoly Blinov, who was arrested in Poland.
Poland’s Prosecutor’s Office stated that Blinov was arrested on September 13 as part of an ongoing investigation into the attack on Volkov. Blinov was charged with directing the beating of Leonid V. due to his political activities. The authorities mentioned that the police were also investigating the suspected involvement of eight individuals in the attack, and four of them had been placed in preventative custody. Among the suspects were six Polish citizens, one Belarusian, and Blinov, who is a Russian national. There was also a mention of an attack on a Navalny ally in North America, although the details of this incident were not immediately clear.
The news of Blinov’s arrest in Poland was first reported by Sirena, an outlet founded by Navalny allies. The accusations against Nevzlin have led to a rift within Russia’s exiled opposition, with prominent figures such as Khodorkovsky coming to Nevzlin’s defense. The infighting among the exiled opposition members seems to be heading for the courts, but the process is uncertain as Nevzlin lives in Israel, and the alleged crimes took place in multiple countries. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda stated that his country would seriously consider the claims against Nevzlin.
The accusations against Nevzlin of organizing attacks against Navalny’s allies have stirred controversy within the exiled Russian opposition. Nevzlin maintains his innocence and denies any involvement in the attacks. Navalny’s team has claimed that Nevzlin ordered the attack on Leonid Volkov in Lithuania through his lawyer Anatoly Blinov, who was arrested in Poland. The Polish Prosecutor’s Office stated that Blinov was charged with directing the beating of Leonid V. due to his political activities, and further investigations into the attack are ongoing.
The investigation into the attacks on Navalny’s allies has led to multiple arrests, including that of Blinov in Poland. The police are looking into the suspected involvement of eight individuals in the attacks, with four of them currently in custody. The accusations against Nevzlin have caused a divide within Russia’s exiled opposition, with some prominent figures supporting him. The legal proceedings regarding Nevzlin’s alleged involvement in the attacks are still uncertain due to his residence in Israel and the international nature of the crimes. Lithuania has expressed its intention to consider the claims against Nevzlin seriously.
The arrest of Blinov and the ongoing investigation into the attacks on Navalny’s allies demonstrate the complexities of international law enforcement and political tensions within the exiled Russian opposition. The accusations against Nevzlin and the subsequent arrests have raised questions about the involvement of various individuals in the attacks. The legal proceedings are likely to continue, with potential implications for the exiled opposition members involved. The international community will be closely monitoring the developments surrounding these incidents and the legal actions taken against those implicated in the attacks on Navalny’s allies.
