Article by: Mark TemnyckyLast month, a film about Alexei Navalny won an Oscar for best documentary. During the acceptance speech, the film’s director dedicated the award to Alexei Navalny. Yulia Navalnaya then concluded the acceptance speech by stating that her husband is defending democracy, and that their family was dreaming of the day when “[Russia] would be free” from Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government.
Many Westerners quickly took to social media to praise the documentary and the award. In their posts, these Westerners commended the work of Navalny and the Russian opposition as they continue to fight against the Putin regime. Social media posts also highlighted the democratization efforts by Navalny and his team.
The imprisonment of political opponents is wrong, and Navalny should be released. He is pro-democracy and anti-Putin, and he is working to achieve real change in Russian society.
But there is a critical oversight in the Western narrative on Navalny and his work. He may be good for ethnic Russians, but he has expressed problematic views on Russia’s neighbors and minority groups within Russia.
What has Navalny previously stated about Russia’s neighbors? How do ethnic Russians feel about other ethnic groups within the region?