Valadirin Putin is a “madman” for initiating his “stupid war” in Ukraine, according to imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
The Kremlin critic, 45, made the remarks at a court hearing on Tuesday in which he failed to appeal a nine-year prison term that he alleges was politically motivated.
Mr Navalny, who was already serving a 30-month sentence, was sentenced to an extra 30-month term for fraud and contempt of court in late March. Human rights organisations called the case a “sham trial.”
Mr Navalny, who appeared via video connection on Tuesday, claimed the prosecutors’ “facts” were false, equating them to the lies Putin has used to legitimise his war in Ukraine.
Mr Navalny slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claim to be “de-Nazifying” Ukraine, saying, “One madman has got his claws into Ukraine and I do not know what he wants to do with it – this crazy thief.”
According to the dissident, Russia is being ruled by criminals who should be viewed as enemies of the people.
His spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, stated that he is also facing additional criminal charges created by Vladimir Putin “to keep Navalny in prison as long as he can.”
“The task of the entire world now is to make sure that Putin is defeated as soon as possible,” she added.
Mr Navalny has urged Russians to reject the Russian president, even if it means risking their freedom.
Mr Navalny dubbed Mr Putin a “insane little tsar” shortly after his invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, urging the public not to turn Russia into a “country of frightened cowards.”
“I am urging everyone to take to the streets and fight for peace,” he said. “If, to prevent war, we need to fill up the jails and police vans, we will fill up the jails and police vans.”
“Everything has a price and now, in the spring of 2022, we should pay that price.”
In recent months, world leaders have lauded Mr Navalny’s bravery, with the prime minister stating he “continues to show incredible bravery in standing up to Putin’s regime.”
“I think we’ve seen the sort of trumped-up charges that Putin uses against those who seek to hold him to account, or those that seek to engage in the democratic process, and this is sadly a continuation of that,” his spokesperson said at the time of Mr Navalny’s most recent conviction.
Mr Navalny was apprehended in January 2021 after returning to Russia from Germany, where he had been treated for nerve agent poisoning, which was widely assumed to have been ordered by the Kremlin.
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