Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was detained at the Sheremetyevo airport while going through passport control. This was reported by the Nexta Live Telegram channel with reference to the message of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service.
"On January 17, 2020, at the Sheremetyevo airport, officers of the search department of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in Moscow detained Alexey Navalny, who was sentenced to conditional punishment. He has been on the wanted list since December 29, 2020 for repeated violations of the probationary period. Further preventive measure of Navalny will be determined by the court. Until the decision of the court, he will be in custody," the message says.
Navalny, who is President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent and determined foe, had spent the previous five months in Germany recovering from a nerve agent attack that he blamed on the Kremlin. Navalny decided to leave Berlin of his own free will and wasn’t under any apparent pressure to leave Germany.
The prison service made the announcement after the flight carrying Navalny landed in the Russian capital, though at a different airport than had been scheduled. It was a possible attempt to outwit journalists and supporters who wanted to witness Navalny’s return.
