On March 1, Alexei Navalny was buried in Moscow. The farewell ceremony for the politician took place at the “Soothe My Sorrows” church in the Maryino district, where Navalny had lived. Thousands of people came to see him off on his final journey, though most were unable to attend the service. Afterward, Navalny’s coffin was transported to Borisovskoye Cemetery, where he was laid to rest.
Even on the eve of the funeral, a heightened police presence appeared near the Borisovo metro station, and law enforcement began patrolling Borisovskoye Cemetery. Some visitors were asked to show their passports and explain the purpose of their visit, and their personal belongings were searched under the pretext of preventing terrorist attacks, according to journalists.
On the morning of March 1, a corridor of metal barriers appeared along the route from the Maryino metro station, the closest to the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Soothe My Sorrows.” Barriers were also set up on the Brateevsky Bridge over the Moskva River, which leads to the church, and on both sides of the river, police were checking documents and personal belongings of passersby. Police vehicles, paddy wagons, and public transport buses lined up in a single row near the church.
Three hours before the funeral service, people began gathering at the site. No one was allowed onto the church grounds, which were fenced off, and the entrance was guarded by police. Workers continued unloading additional barriers. Police paid special attention to those who brought flowers.
Alexei Navalny’s body was supposed to be handed over to his family by 10 a.m. Moscow time, but it was released more than two hours later, according to the politician’s associates. Meanwhile, the line of people who came to bid farewell to Navalny stretched for several kilometers — crowds filled all available spaces and sidewalks around the church.
Internet connectivity in the area slowed down significantly — messages in Telegram took several minutes to send, and Yandex Maps couldn’t establish a connection. Later, the Telegram channel “ZaTelekom” reported shutdowns specifically in the area where the church is located.
Some foreign diplomats also attended the funeral — among those spotted in the crowd were U.S. Ambassador Lynne Tracy, UK Deputy Ambassador Tom Dodd, French Ambassador Pierre Lévy, German Ambassador Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, and Canadian Ambassador Sarah Taylor. Diplomats from Ireland, Greece, Poland, Belgium, and Austria also came to pay their respects to the politician.
In response to journalists' questions, Dmitry Peskov stated that the Kremlin had nothing to say to Navalny’s family on the day of his funeral. He also added that “the Kremlin cannot assess Navalny as a political figure, ” and warned of “legal consequences” for those participating in “unauthorized rallies on the day of Navalny’s funeral.”
Around 2 p.m., a motorcade carrying Navalny’s body arrived at the church. Shortly after 2:30, the coffin was brought into the church to chants of “Navalny!” and “He wasn’t afraid, and neither are we!” Navalny’s parents, Anatoly and Lyudmila, were then allowed into the church, and the funeral service began. A few other people were also permitted to enter. Less than an hour later, the service ended, funeral staff placed the lid on the coffin, and it was carried out of the church.
Outside, the crowd chanted “Russia will be free” as the church bells rang. The hearse was showered with flowers thrown from behind the barricades. After that, people — chanting “Navalny” and holding flowers — proceeded in a long procession toward the cemetery.
Borisovskoye Cemetery was closed to visitors all day. Barriers and metal detectors were installed at the entrance, and police were stationed everywhere. The coffin was lowered to chants of “Heroes don’t die.” In the background, musicians played Frank Sinatra’s My Way and the main theme from Terminator 2, as Navalny considered the second film in the franchise to be the best.
Yulia Navalnaya and their children were unable to say goodbye to her husband — they did not return to Russia due to safety concerns. However, her mother attended both the funeral service and the burial in Moscow. Alexei’s brother, Oleg Navalny, wrote on social media: “Sleep peacefully, brother, and don’t worry about anything 💔.”
Half an hour before Borisovskoye Cemetery was scheduled to close, people were allowed in freely, and some of those who came were able to throw a handful of earth into the grave. Fifteen minutes before the official closing time, the line of people wanting to say goodbye only grew longer. According to our correspondent’s estimate, more than 10,000 people had gathered there. In the end, the cemetery was not closed as planned. The politician’s allies wrote that everyone would have the chance to say goodbye to Navalny.
“We will not die under Putin! Don’t stay silent!” the crowd chanted. News of the first arrests began spreading through Telegram channels.
Text: It’s My City. Photo: Ilya Vaga
Link to the article: itsmycity.ru/2024-03-01/vmoskve-pohoronili-alekseya-navalnogo-snim-prishli-prostitsya-tysyachi-rossiyan
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