The reason for the first interview that Yulia Navalnaya gave for German public television after the death of her husband Alexei is his newly published autobiography with the title "Patriot". Navalnaya explains that the title is not accidental - her husband has always been a patriot. And although today the word patriot is used only for people who support Putin's regime, the true meaning of patriot is different. Namely: a person who loves his country.
Your husband was convinced that for the sake of the fight against Putin, he should stay in Russia. How could you, living in exile, reach out to the people in Russia and continue his work?
Yulia Navalnaya: With the beginning of the war, everything changed. It is important to reach the people, some of whom are also in exile. Some are in Russia but are hiding because they are afraid of persecution and that they may one day end up in prison. But there are still many supporters of my husband who have not left the country. I do my best to communicate with these people - both those who left and those who remained in Russia. The efforts of the opposition must be united, regardless of the fact that among the opposition there are people with different views - we have the same enemy, that is Vladimir Putin - he is corrupt and a criminal. I think that brings everyone together.
If there are people with such different views, who would be your partners?
Yulia Navalnaya: I think that under a dictatorship all the people who want free and independent elections and fight against the regime that started the war are our supporters and we can fight together with them for a democratic Russia. And when one day this regime falls, there will be normal democratic elections, after which we will see who gets more support.
No one in the world knows how Putin can be defeated. In all the conversations with heads of state and others, it appears that unfortunately no one knows how he can be defeated. We just have to keep doing everything we can to get closer to that moment. But it is not about victory or weakening the regime as a whole.
I don't believe Putin has any superpowers - I think people around the world and governments fear him too much. And this is pointless, since there is no reason. He plays on people's fear and it is very important that they are shown that they have nothing to fear.
Do you think that if people in Russia could speak openly, most of them would be against the war in Ukraine?
Yulia Navalnaya: When they live in a dictatorship, people don't dare to speak. I am sure that no one wants this war - there is no need to discuss that. Everyone is against the war. Vladimir Putin started it and it must end immediately, preferably yesterday.
You are firmly against the war in Ukraine, but at the same time you are skeptical about Western arms supplies to Ukraine. Because of this, some German politicians criticized you, and one even said that you were a lawyer for imperial Russia. How will you answer?
Yulia Navalnaya: I am not part of imperial Russia. I am fighting against Putin's regime and it is very important to me that the war ends. I am doing my best to make my country democratic and stop this war as soon as possible.
But what do you think is Putin's goal? Does he want to lay hands on all the countries of the former Soviet Union, if we consider, for example, his influence on the elections in Georgia?
Yulia Navalnaya: I think that Putin's goal is simple and clear - it has been like that from the beginning. At first he wanted to become very rich and was very corrupt, then he realized that he could do anything he wanted. And then he already decided that he was something like the Tsar of Russia and that he wanted to keep this power as long as possible. He wants to rule the country for life.