Thousands of people gathered in Moscow for Alexei Navalny's funeral despite the risk of arrest, with crowds applauding and chanting his name as his body was carried into the church.
The funeral of the prominent critic of Vladimir Putin, whose death was announced on February 16, will be held amid a heavy police presence.
Hundreds of people waited for hours to enter the church, and the release of Navalny's body from the morgue where it had been held was briefly delayed.
After the body arrived at the church, the audience applauded and chanted: “Alexei! Alexei!”
Once the service began, his organization released a photo of the open casket from inside the church.
Navalny's funeral – follow the latest updates
The Kremlin urged those gathering in Moscow and elsewhere not to break the law, saying any “unauthorized (mass) gatherings” were considered violations.
Mourners gather around his body, which lies in an open coffin covered in flowers and holding candles.
Mr. Navalny He died in a penal colony inside the Arctic Circle while serving a 19-year prison sentence on charges his supporters said were politically motivated.
The circumstances of Navalny's death remain unclear, but many world leaders, including Joe Biden, did not know it He placed the blame squarely on Vladimir Putin And the Russian government.
Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny's widow, also pointed the finger at the Russian president, accusing her husband He may have been poisoned with Novichok.
The Kremlin has Repeatedly denied No involvement in his death.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be posted soon.
Please refresh the page to get the full version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on your smartphone or tablet via Sky News application. You can also follow along @Sky News on X Or subscribe to our website YouTube channel To keep up with the latest news.
