Vladimir Okhotnikov: A Lifelong Protest of Alexey Navalny

Alexei Navalny until recently remained the leader of the Russian opposition. He founded the Anti-Corruption Foundation, ran popular YouTube channels, and was the main contender in the Moscow mayoral elections in 2013. At 47, Alexey survived an assassination attempt and spent years in Russian prisons after his team uncovered numerous cases of corruption.

Alexei Navalny was one of the most prominent people in modern Russia. They learned about it thanks to high-profile investigations among officials and state companies. And, despite the tightening of the political regime, imprisonment, assassination attempt, Navalny still managed to rally like-minded people around him.

The oppositionist was born in 1976 in a village called Obninsk, west of the Russian capital. In the late 90s he graduated from the Faculty of Law of the RUDN University, and only 10 years later he began to gain strength in politics as a fighter against corruption.

Alexey became famous for actively exposing alleged figures involved in theft in some large state-owned companies. Among those on his list were Alisher Usmanov, the head of several large companies; Leonid Mikhelson, shareholder of NOVATEK, Sibur, Dar fund; Mikhail Abyzov, Minister of Open Government Affairs, co-owner of Sibeko, Ru-com, Anduril Enterprises limited, Fresko Financial Limited and others.

My main message is simple: the party is infested with scammers and thieves – Alexei Navalny

Long before his death, Navalny became famous for a documentary in which he tried to expose corruption in the highest echelons of power.

Navalny dedicated an almost two-hour journalistic investigation in which the head of state was allegedly involved in the story of the biggest bribe. Alexey was remembered in the video for his wit and charisma.

“…He opposed excessive centralization of power and its consolidation in the hands of one person. He was not opposed to the people, but sought to bring unscrupulous officials to justice. And it’s not so much about his personality, which many consider controversial…”, a short excerpt from an interview with Vladimir Okhotnikov.

Vladimir is a person who not only has deep knowledge in the field of cryptocurrencies. They are an ardent defender of individual freedom and independence. His analytical skills allow him to deeply understand the technological and economic aspects of the financial sector, and his libertarian views make him a supporter of decentralization.

“For me he was not a clear-cut figure. There are things for which Alexey can be criticized. But the main thing is that he fought against corruption and lawlessness, and stood for justice and openness of power. And these are fundamental things that are important for everyone who supports libertarianism,” Vladimir briefly summarized.

Vladimir Okhotnikov considers Alexei Navalny a symbol of freedom, which the majority in the world, not to mention the Russians themselves, actually strive for. And the propaganda that sounded from the mouths of famous politicians did not seem to fit into the ideals of the opposition.

“In fact, Navalny was against specific violations of law and justice, and not against the citizens of his country. He defended the values of freedom, truth and the rule of law, which are important for everyone,” this is how Vladimir described Alexei Navalny.

The desire for freedom – beyond nationality, beyond race

The interview, in which Navalny was asked what he would advise people if something happened to him, was covered by many media outlets. When asked what to do if he was killed, Alexei replied “continue the fight for freedom.”

Alexey urged his supporters not to stop at repression, but to go further along the path of upholding democratic values and human rights. According to him, even if something happens to him, this fight must continue. This is how Navalny expressed his readiness to make any sacrifices in the name of the ideals of freedom and justice.

While in prison, the oppositionist regularly sent messages through his lawyers, which were published on social networks. In them, he talked about the difficult conditions of detention and the forced struggle for even the most basic rights and opportunities.

In one of the messages, Alexey said that he sued the prison administration. The reason was the refusal to provide him with winter shoes for outdoor walks, which he was allowed to do. Without suitable footwear, Navalny was forced to choose between the risk of getting sick in the cold or giving up these short walks altogether.

Navalny noted that this situation puts him at the lowest level in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs – we are talking about basic physiological needs. He had to defend even the most basic rights: to warm shoes, clothes.

Link across thousands of kilometers: Satoshi Nakamoto and Alexei Navalny are symbols of libertarianism – Vladimir Okhotnikov

It may seem unusual, but there are some similarities between the personalities of Alexei Navalny and Satoshi Nakamoto – although they are not meant to be similar in appearance.

Here it is appropriate to say that both went against the system. Navalny fought to the end, despite the risks. No one but him can explain why he returned to Russia after rehabilitation in Germany.

Everyone remembers the story of poisoning with the chemical warfare agent Novichok. So, after successful treatment, on January 17, 2021, immediately upon arrival at the Moscow airport, Navalny was arrested for violating his probation. This was the last day of his freedom – he did not yet know that he would never see her again.

Only now it becomes clear that if Satoshi had revealed his identity, he would have faced even greater pressure. No, he would not have been killed, but he would have been made an example for those who would like to oppose the system and create alternative decentralized finance.

“Satoshi Nakamoto is the biggest mystery of our time. Nobody knows who really is hiding behind this pseudonym. There are only assumptions. Apparently, this crypto enthusiast has calculated everything in advance…”, this opinion was expressed by Vladimir Okhotnikov.

“It is unknown whether Alexey knew about the problems that would begin for him after a series of high-profile investigations. It will remain a mystery. It is unlikely that a person with such intelligence could make such a mistake. Most likely, he had other motives that only he himself knew about,” the analyst emphasized.

In fact, it takes a lot of courage and strength of character to challenge the system. Navalny, Nakamoto, Khan, Trump, Sarkozy, Berlusconi, Castillo – this is not a complete list of those who went against the generally accepted.

Who’s next – Musk, Viktor Orban? These people have to walk on thin ice, where there is no room for error.