Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny ‘missing’ from prison ahead of prez election

Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny has been removed from the penal colony where he had been imprisoned since the middle of last year. According to his lawyers, Navalny's current whereabouts are unknown.

Reportedly, his aides have been preparing for his expected transfter to a "special regime" colony, the harshest grade in Russia's prison system.

Navalny was sentenced in August to an additional 19 years in prison on top of 11-1/2 years he was already serving. He was found guilty of creating an extremist community, financing extremist activities among other crimes.

His lawyers claimed that they lost contact with the jailed Russian opposition leader. Spokesperson Kira Yarmysh wrote on X that lawyers have made several attempts to get access to two penal colonies where Navalny.