Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny, has announced her intention to run for the presidency of Russia once free and fair elections are possible following President Vladimir Putin’s departure from office. 

In a recent interview with the BBC, she expressed her determination to bring about significant change in her homeland.

“I will participate in the elections… as a candidate,” she told the BBC. “My political opponent is Vladimir Putin. And I will do everything to make his regime fall as soon as possible”.

Following the death of Navalny in an Arctic penal colony earlier in 2024, Navalnaya vowed to persist in his fight for justice and democratic reform. She is currently living in exile, having being accused of extremism by Putin’s government. If she were to return, she would almost certainly find herself locked up for many years.

The circumstances surrounding Navalny’s death have drawn international scrutiny and condemnation. Navalny was sentenced to 19 years for extremism in 2023, but did not make it past February 2024.  He died under suspicious circumstances, and his killing saw Western governments impose sanctions on Moscow. The Kremlin has denied any involvement, rejecting accusations that it was responsible for his death. Navalnaya claimed to the BBC that Navalny’s team, the Anti-Corruption Foundation, has uncovered evidence regarding her husband’s death, which she intends to disclose in the future.

Navalny’s widow also expressed a desire to see Putin held accountable for his actions, insisting he should face trial and serve prison time in conditions similar to those her husband endured.  

“I don’t want [Putin] to be in prison, somewhere abroad, in a nice prison with a computer, nice food… I want him to be in a Russian prison. And it’s not just that – I want him to be in the same conditions like Alexey was. But it’s very important for me,” she told the BBC. 

In August 2024, following a prison swap that saw the elite of Russia’s political opposition released to the West, The Guardian reported that Navalny was supposed to be part of the deal. Instead, the swap comprised 13 individuals, including three of Navalny's regional coordinators who were jailed for "extremism."