In a solemn ceremony in Moscow, thousands of mourners, including Lyudmila Navalnaya and Alla Abrosimova, the mother and mother-in-law of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, gathered to bid farewell to the prominent activist. This mournful event came a day after his funeral transformed into one of the largest recent displays of dissent.

While a heavy police presence was maintained at the cemetery, the situation remained calm, as reported by the independent Russian TV channel Dozhd (Rain). According to one eyewitness quoted on the Telegram messaging app, "The police let those wishing to bid farewell to the politician pass through and do not rush anyone."

However, Dozhd also highlighted the destruction of "spontaneous memorials" dedicated to Navalny in various Russian cities, including St. Petersburg and Voronezh, where flowers were reportedly removed.

Navalny's still-unexplained death two weeks prior in an Arctic penal colony rallied thousands of supporters who came to honor him outside a church and cemetery in a snowy southeastern suburb of Moscow. There, they chanted slogans both in support of Navalny and against Russian President Vladimir Putin and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Despite the presence of police, no action was taken against the peaceful protesters.

However, according to OVD-Info, a rights group that monitors political arrests, at least 106 people were detained across Russia during events commemorating Navalny's memory. Most of the detentions occurred when individuals tried to lay flowers at monuments dedicated to victims of Soviet repression.

Following a short Russian Orthodox ceremony, Navalny was laid to rest, with throngs of people waiting outside the church and then proceeding to the freshly dug grave with flowers. Notably absent from the funeral was Navalny's widow, Yulia, who expressed her determination to continue his work and thanked him for "26 years of absolute happiness."

The funeral was marred by a battle between Navalny's team and authorities over the release of his body. Several Moscow churches reportedly refused to hold the funeral for the anti-corruption crusader who had tirelessly organized protests against Russian official corruption. Numerous Western leaders have accused the Russian government of involvement in Navalny's death, a claim vehemently denied by the Kremlin.

As mourners paid their respects to Navalny in Moscow, the destruction of spontaneous memorials in various Russian cities highlights the deep divisions and ongoing tensions surrounding his legacy and the opposition movement against the Russian government.