had alexei navalny has died. he had recently been me —— been moved to another penal colony nickname northern woolf in december. it is seen as one is the toughestjails in russia, that is why it is nicknamed toto wolff. freezing temperatures in that area. most detainees who are held there have been how their are being held there for serious crimes. we did speak to journalists recently on a video call. he was seen joking during that video call and he appeared to be in good spirits. he said he had been quite far away and back then, it was around christmas time, he said he hadn't quite received any hoppers christmas mail. we have reports coming in from the russian prison service that one of the leading opposition figures to president vladimir putin of russia has died, alexei navalny, at the age

of 47 years. you can see pictures of him now. that is him surrounded by police officers in custody. he has been serving a sentence that has totalled more than 30 years on charges that include extremism, which he denies. you can see him in court there. he had been in it in a penal colony for the last few months and had been moved to one nicknamed toto wolff north—east of moscow. 0ne toto wolff north—east of moscow. one of our correspondence has described being in that area is absolutely freezing, feeling the hairs on the back of your neck stand up as soon as you arrive. he is one of the leading opposition figures in russia, someone who is seen as a threat to president vladimir putin's

influence as well as his presidential power stop alexei navalny has often released a lot of information about corruption in the kremlin. we know that the prison service is making all the cheques regarding his death. the reports again are coming in that alexei navalny at 47 years old is now dead. he was serving a sentence of more than 30 years and has —— was moved to a penal quality —— penal: t nicknamed polar will. vladimir putin has been said to be extremely concerned about the influence of

alexei navalny, that is because he has consistently released information about corruption within the kremlin. it is important to bring you this latest piece of information. the kremlin have reacted to reports that are circulating. they say they have no information on the cause of death of alexei navalny. again, we know that he was in a particularly difficult penal colony, one called polar wolf, because of its conditions. it is in this one is the toughestjails in russia that is why most of the detainees there are held for serious crimes. we had seen alexei navalny, video footage of him in court, but he had spoken to journalists recently and he seemed in good spirits. now we hear this news that he has died. that is from the prison

service. we will keep bringing you information on this story, but there is that latest comment from the kremlin that no information can be provided at this time on the cause of death up alexei navalny. he was one of the most prominent opposition figures in russia. i want to bring you more on this with my colleague, vitaly shevchenko, who joins you more on this with my colleague, vitaly shevchenko, whojoins me now in the studio. thank you forjoining me in such short notice. what are the reports that are coming out right now? fist the reports that are coming out right now?— the reports that are coming out riaht now? �* ., ., ., right now? at the moment all that we have our reports _ right now? at the moment all that we have our reports from _ right now? at the moment all that we have our reports from russian - right now? at the moment all that we have our reports from russian medial have our reports from russian media quoting the russian federal prison service. the actual website when the prison —— where the prison service posted this announcement is down

because so many people want to read it. the media in russia are quoting this saying that alexei navalny felt unwell after a stroke this morning and fainted almost immediately after feeling unwell. he was seen, according to the prison service, by medical personnel at that remote northern prison, but all the efforts to resuscitate him failed. this is obviously a shocking bit of news to his supporters and other people in and outside of russia. he has been subjected to harsh treatments in that prison, put into what is known as a punishment cell on numerous occasions. there were numerous complaints about conditions in which

he was held. whenever he was seen in his numerous video appearances from the prison he appeared to be upbeat, chirpy, gaunt and tired, but apparently in good spirits and the statements that were published on his social media, they were always full of humour and alexei navalny always sought to give encouragement and support to his associates and supporters, many of whom are in exile from russia because they were facing pressure within russia and now this happens. we don't know the details of what happened to him and the details are still coming in. it

the details are still coming in. it is shocking partly because of the figure that alexei navalny is because he is one of the most prominent opposition figures in russia. i prominent opposition figures in russia. ~ , ., ., russia. i think it is fair to call him president _ russia. i think it is fair to call him president putin's - russia. i think it is fair to callj him president putin's fiercest opponents and most popular and effective opponent. he first rose to prominence as an anti—corruption campaigner he published his investigation videos, done together with his team of investigators. it was about president putin and other officials alleging gross corruption, and that got a lot of traction on social media and millions of views. just to say we have also just received this news, that president

putin has now been told of alexei navalny�*s death. that is coming from the kremlin. he wasjust navalny�*s death. that is coming from the kremlin. he was just explaining why he was such an important figure. yes. we have to remember that even mr navalny�*s name was sort of taboo for president putin and his key officials. they would hardly ever out of it preferring to mr navalny as that gentleman or that politician, which gives us an idea of the tensions between the two camps, and also it tells us that there is a certain logic, a certain grim logic to what is happening in russia ever since mr navalny was put in jail back

russia ever since mr navalny was put injail back in 2021. further restrictions have been put in russia targeting freedom of reporting, freedom of assembly. russia is holding presidential elections in march, but as we see most of president putin's fiercest, most effective opponents are either in jail, in exile or dead.— jail, in exile or dead. vitaly, thank you — jail, in exile or dead. vitaly, thank you for _ jail, in exile or dead. vitaly, thank you for that _ jail, in exile or dead. vitaly, i thank you for that information. jail, in exile or dead. vitaly, - thank you for that information. we will keep bringing you updates on the news that alexei navalny has died, one of the most prominent russian opposition figures. just to let you know, my colleague will be coming up shortly, but first he is this reports on alexei navalny now that this news has come in. for years alexei navalny was at the one on the side of the kremlin, a lawyer by training he started out as

an anti—corruption blogger. but he shot to prominence in 2011 during protests over parliamentary protests over pa rlia menta ry elections protests over parliamentary elections tainted by allegations of fraud. the demonstrations were the largest russia had seen for years. alexei navalny was arrested, suddenly emerging as a senior opposition figure. his charismatic presence on the seats made him a regular target of the authorities. alexei navalny was a strong nationalist, but also as a fierce critic of the powerful elites. we developed a huge following on social media, publishing regular investigations into high—level corruption. his popular

was poisoned, falling ill on a flight from siberia. he was evacuated to germany for treatment. international chemical weapons experts found traces of nut for choc. he survived and accused vladimir putin of trying to have him killed. five months later, mr navalny returned to russia only to be thrown into jail once more. protests erupted across the country, fuelled in part by publication of yet another video accusing the's

president of corruption. despite a hunger strike in international pressure, mr navalny remained behind bars, designated a terrorist and sentenced to long years in prison. alexei navalny leaves behind a wife, daughter and son and a country where opposition has been utterly stifled. just a reminder of a breaking story here on bbc news and that is in the past few minutes russia's prison authorities have announced that the leading kremlin critic alexei navalny has died. a statement online says that mr navalny had phil burleigh after a walk and lost consciousness soon afterwards. it added that doctors had arrived straightaway but that all attempts at resuscitation had failed. details are still coming in and i'm still joined by my colleague vitaly

shevchenko. ijust joined by my colleague vitaly shevchenko. i just wanted joined by my colleague vitaly shevchenko. ijust wanted to bring this in because we havejust shevchenko. ijust wanted to bring this in because we have just heard from mr navalny�*s press secretary who is saying that she has no confirmation at the moment of mr navalny�*s death, but i assume that we should take what the russian authorities are saying is fairly confirmed news. i authorities are saying is fairly confirmed news.— authorities are saying is fairly confirmed news. i would be highly surrised confirmed news. i would be highly surprised if— confirmed news. i would be highly surprised if what _ confirmed news. i would be highly surprised if what is _ confirmed news. i would be highly surprised if what is being - confirmed news. i would be highly surprised if what is being reported by this official source was to be untrue. it is true that they have a certain track record of being economical with the truth, but clearly this is not a matter they would not report correctly. given that he was in jail would not report correctly. given that he was injail and would not report correctly. given that he was in jail and that particular person is so remote, so far up in the north, it is obviously very difficult to ascertain what exactly happened to mr navalny, what

exactly happened to mr navalny, what exactly caused his death. we know that the conditions under which he was held are pretty tough and he had complained about them repeatedly. he had been put in what is known as a punishment cell on numerous occasions. his physical appearance since his incarceration in 2021, of course it has suffered. he was looking gaunt and then in his video appearances from the jail that he was being kept. that tells us that of course there are reasons to believe that his health was in danger in the russian jail. believe that his health was in danger in the russianjail. for believe that his health was in danger in the russian jail. danger in the russian “ail. for the --eole danger in the russian “ail. for the people who * danger in the russian “ail. for the people who h danger in the russian “ail. for the people who are just _ danger in the russian jail. for the people who are just coming - danger in the russian jail. for the people who are just coming to - danger in the russian jail. for the j people who are just coming to the story, they may know the name alexei navalny, they may know he was a prominent critic of the kremlin,

after one in the side of vladimir putin, but perhaps they don't know enough about why. he was the leader of an anti—corruption movement in russia, someone who has a lot of support in the country as well as critics. can you tell our viewers about how significant he was and why he was such a problem to vladimir putin? ., p, he was such a problem to vladimir putin? ., ., ., , ., _ putin? you have to start by saying that russian _ putin? you have to start by saying that russian media _ putin? you have to start by saying that russian media space - putin? you have to start by saying that russian media space and - putin? you have to start by saying that russian media space and the| putin? you have to start by saying - that russian media space and the way that russian media space and the way that russian media space and the way that russian politics operates has been very restrictive for years, so for mr navalny it has all always been an uphill struggle to gain support within russia. he was denied access to the media. it was difficult for him to campaign and rally. despite all that, the investigative videos he reported on

line received millions of views