Hundreds Gather to Honor Alexei Navalny on Birthday

Hundreds of people gather to pay their respects and lay flowers at the grave of Alexei Navalny on what would have been his 48th birthday.

A fierce critic of Russia's Ukraine offensive and of President Vladimir Putin, Navalny died in an Arctic prison in February, in circumstances the Kremlin has still not fully explained.

The crowd came to Moscow's Borisovo cemetery to mark what would have been his 48th birthday.

A black and white photo of a smiling Navalny adorned the grave, which was covered with hundreds of bouquets, notes, drawings and posters.

Nearby, some mourners cried and comforted each other.

Others sang Russian rock songs and a Soviet cartoon tune with the lyrics: "The night will end and the bright morning will come."

Moscow has waged a vicious crackdown on anyone linked with Navalny for more than two years, with his allies either in prison or fleeing.

Since his death, however, authorities have turned a blind eye to vigils at his grave.

In exile in Berlin, Navalny's wife Yulia Navalnaya -- who has continued his work -- marked his birthday at a church ceremony.

Neither Navalnaya nor the couple's children were able to attend his funeral in March, as they risk arrest in Russia.

While there were some older people in the crowd, most who came to the graveyard appeared to be under 30.

Many said they came in order to feel connected with others who reject Russia's current path, amid a huge crackdown on opponents of the Kremlin and its offensive in Ukraine.

For many, holding opposition views in Russia has felt even more isolating since the Kremlin sent hundreds of thousands of troops into Ukraine in 2022.

The full-scale military offensive triggered an exodus from Russia of anti-Kremlin activists, journalists and others opposed to it.

Many said they felt inspired by his courage and drew hope from it, but his death on February 16 was a personal tragedy for many Russians critical of Putin.