After the initial shock wore off, Navalny's closest allies returned to the work that cost his freedom and his life: undermining Putin’s iron-fisted grip on power. “It is a very simple and safe action, it can’t be banned,” Navalnaya said in a video address. Leading up to the election, Navalny’s team urged supporters to cast their ballots for any candidate other than Putin, or to invalidate them by choosing two or more candidates. Assailants smashed a window of his car, sprayed tear gas into his face and beat him with a hammer, according to Navalny’s team. He accused “Putin’s henchmen” of the attack and said it was an attempt to intimidate the team ahead of the “Noon Against Putin” protest.

Source: ABC News March 16, 2024 06:21 UTC