The body of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been handed over to his mother, his spokesperson Kira Yarmysh has said.
“Alexei’s body was given to his mother. Thank you very much to everyone who demanded this with us,” she wrote on X.
She added that details of his funeral are yet to come, and it is unclear if authorities will “interfere” and whether it will be carried out as “the family wants and Alexei deserves”.
“We will provide information as it becomes available,” she said.
It comes after Mr Navalny’s mother was given an ultimatum yesterday, with Russian authorities saying he would be buried in the penal colony where he died unless she agreed within three hours to lay him to rest without a public funeral.
Ukraine war latest: Experts predict which areas Russia will target next
Earlier Saturday, Yulia Navalnaya, the 47-year-old’s widow, accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of mocking Christianity by trying to force his mother to agree to a secret funeral after his death in a penal colony.
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Navalny’s body handed over to his mother after ultimatum; expert predicts which areas Russia will target next
Israel-Hamas war: ‘Significant progress’ in Paris hostage talks – Israeli media
Austria: Three women killed in brothel
Mr Navalny had been a vocal critic of the Russian president and campaigned against official corruption. He also led major anti-Kremlin protests.
While the cause of his death remains unknown, Western leaders including US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have made clear they hold Mr Putin responsible.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
