Former Chief of Staff to Russian Opposition Leader Alexey Navalny Leonid Volkov Assaulted in Lithuania

Russian opposition activist Leonid Volkov, the former chief of staff of the late Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, was assaulted on Tuesday outside his residence in Vilnius, Lithuania. The incident was reported by Navalny's spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh.

Yarmysh shared on social media that Volkov was targeted outside his home. The assailant smashed a car window, sprayed tear gas into his eyes, and proceeded to attack him with a hammer.

Leonid is currently at home, and police and ambulance are on their way to him.

Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, mentioned on Tuesday that Volkov was attacked near his house. He stated that the attackers hit his legs with a hammer and also targeted his arms.

Days before Russia’s presidential election, there was an attack. The election is seen as a formality where President Vladimir Putin is expected to win a fifth term.

Volkov, who was the chairman of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation until 2023, criticized the elections in February. He called them a "circus" on social media, suggesting they were just a show of Putin's strong backing.

Volkov pointed out that the March 'elections' are a tactic by Putin to create a sense of hopelessness among the voters.

Following the death of Navalny in a Russian prison last month, there has been widespread condemnation from world leaders and accusations from his aides claiming that he was murdered. Despite these claims, the Kremlin has denied any involvement in his death.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Editor's P/S:

The brutal assault on