Infighting Disrupts Russia’s Exiled Opposition as Navalny Allies Accuse Colleagues of Foul Play

By Andrew Osborn and Lucy Papachristou

LONDON (Reuters) – The divisions within Russia’s opposition in exile have grown significantly, shifting the focus from political activism to internal disputes. This tension erupted after allies of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny accused another opposition figure of orchestrating attacks on their supporters.

This controversy jeopardizes already fragile efforts to unite against the Kremlin, potentially harming the opposition’s credibility both at home and abroad. It has led to a confrontation between two major opposition groups: one led by Navalny’s allies and another associated with Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky. This latest conflict is especially intense, with Navalny’s camp publicly accusing Leonid Nevzlin, a businessman based in Israel and a Khodorkovsky associate, of directing assaults on key Navalny aides and the spouse of an activist based in Argentina.

The most alarming incident involved an attack on Leonid Volkov, who was assaulted outside his home in Vilnius, Lithuania, this past March, resulting in significant injuries just a month after Navalny’s death in prison. In a video investigation released on Navalny’s YouTube channel, his team alleged that Nevzlin was behind the attack rather than the Russian government.

Both Nevzlin and Khodorkovsky, who has faced imprisonment in Russia on charges widely regarded as politically motivated, have rejected these allegations as unfounded. With Navalny’s passing, the opposition struggles to maintain strong leadership; his widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has pledged to continue his legacy while senior aides investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.

"This scandal significantly weakens the anti-Kremlin protest movement," stated Ivan Zhdanov, one of the Navalny aides who was attacked, during an online discussion. "In the future, every attack will raise questions about whether it is carried out by Putin, Russian intelligence, or a member of the opposition."

The Anti-Corruption Foundation (ACF), Navalny’s organization, has reported sharing their findings with law enforcement in countries where Nevzlin has traveled. The Lithuanian General Prosecutor’s office did not confirm whether it had received information from the ACF but noted that inquiries regarding the Volkov attack are ongoing.

In response to the accusations, Nevzlin suggested on social media that the allegations seemed fabricated in Moscow, bearing resemblance to claims made by Russian state media. He called for an independent investigation to evaluate the claims.

Khodorkovsky condemned the attacks on the activists while defending Nevzlin, suggesting that the accusations appear to have originated from Russian intelligence. "If the ACF wishes to accuse me of anything, they should go to court instead of sullying my reputation with stealthy remarks," he said.

Reactions within Russian dissident circles have been characterized by shock and anger, with many expressing their sentiments on social media. However, some voices cautioned that these revelations do little to advance the primary goal of challenging Putin’s regime.

“No matter how much damage the conflicts inflict, it does not fundamentally change anything,” remarked Konstantin Sonin, an economist at the University of Chicago, who is on Russia’s wanted list for his opposition to the war in Ukraine. He emphasized that the real task for the opposition lies in addressing critical issues: “How to stop the war? How to remove Putin and dismantle the regime?”