March 05, 2024

Thousands Turn Out for Navalny's Funeral


Thousands Turn Out for Navalny's Funeral
A crowd of mourners bearing flowers at Alexei Navalny's funeral.  Прикли, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Funeral services were held for Alexei Navalny on March 1 in Moscow and drew thousands of Russians and international guests.

The funeral was held in the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God, in the Maryino district, Navalny's former neighborhood. After the services, Navalny was buried in the nearby Borisovskoye Cemetery. The church service was attended only by relatives and friends, but thousands made the journey to the cemetery to pay tribute to the fallen opposition leader

People holding bouquets and signs depicting Navalny lined the streets on the way to Borisovskoye Cemetery. Even an hour before the funeral, the line of mourners stretched over a kilometer from the church. The service itself was brief, only twenty minutes, before the coffin was closed and loaded into a hearse. Mourners threw flowers at the hearse as it drove, with shouts of "Thank you!" and "Heroes never die!" 

At the cemetery, Navalny was lowered into his grave while Frank Sinatra's "My Way" was played. The cemetery service also featured the soundtrack from Terminator 2, one of Navalny's favorite films. 

Many mourners wore face masks or otherwise obscured their identities. At least 45 people were arrested in various Russian cities in connection with memorials for Navalny. 

You Might Also Like

Navalny Launches Antiwar Campaign
  • June 21, 2023

Navalny Launches Antiwar Campaign

Politician and political prisoner Alexei Navaly is launching a "big propaganda machine" to counter Putin and pro-war propaganda.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals
[INVALID]
[INVALID]
[INVALID]

Some of our Books

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955