Early Life and Education of Alexei Navalny: A Complete Timeline

Discover the defining moments in the early life of Alexei Navalny. From birth to education, explore key events.

Alexei Navalny was a prominent Russian opposition leader and anti-corruption activist. As the founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) in 2011, he investigated and exposed alleged corruption within the Russian government. Navalny faced multiple arrests and imprisonments throughout his career, which were widely viewed as politically motivated. Amnesty International recognized him as a prisoner of conscience, and he received the Sakharov Prize for his human rights advocacy. He was a vocal critic of Vladimir Putin and a key figure in Russian opposition movements, advocating for democratic reforms and increased government transparency. He died in prison in February 2024.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1947: Birth of Anatoly Ivanovich Navalny

In 1947, Anatoly Ivanovich Navalny, Alexei Navalny's father, was born in Zalissia, Ukraine.

1954: Birth of Lyudmila Ivanovna Navalnaya

In 1954, Lyudmila Ivanovna Navalnaya, Alexei Navalny's mother, was born in Zelenograd, Russia.

June 1976: Alexei Navalny's Birth

In June 1976, Alexei Anatolyevich Navalny was born in Butyn, Russia, which was then part of the Soviet Union.

1979: Comparison of Recognition of Separatist Republics to Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

In February 2022, Alexei Navalny compared Russia's recognition of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic to the Soviet Union's deployment of troops to Afghanistan in 1979, both viewed as distractions from genuine problems.

1993: Graduation from Kalininets secondary school

In 1993, Alexei Navalny graduated from Kalininets secondary school (level 3 according to the ISCED).

1994: Navalny's parents start basket-weaving factory

In 1994, Alexei Navalny's parents started a basket-weaving factory in Kobyakovo, Vologda Oblast.

1998: Graduation from Peoples' Friendship University of Russia

In 1998, Alexei Navalny graduated from the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia with a law degree.

1998: Navalny's Residence in Maryino District

Starting in 1998, Navalny resided in a three-room apartment located in the Maryino District in southeast Moscow.

2001: Graduation from the Financial University

In 2001, Alexei Navalny graduated from the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, where he studied securities and exchanges.

2006: Participation in the "Russian March"

In 2006, Alexei Navalny participated in the "Russian march", a parade uniting Russian nationalist groups, marking his involvement in nationalist movements.

2007: Co-founding of NAROD and Anti-Immigration Videos

In 2007, Alexei Navalny co-founded the National Russian Liberation Movement (NAROD) and released several anti-immigration videos, including one where he compared people from North Caucasus to cockroaches, actions he later regretted.

2008: Initial Support for Russo-Georgian War

In 2008, Alexei Navalny initially supported the Russo-Georgian War, calling for strikes on the Georgian General Staff and the expulsion of Georgian citizens from Russia. He later apologized for insulting Georgians.

2010: Scholarship to Yale World Fellows Program

In 2010, Alexei Navalny received a scholarship to the Yale World Fellows program at Yale University, where he studied political science and world affairs.

February 2011: Navalny Calls United Russia "Party of Crooks and Thieves"

In February 2011, during an interview with finam.fm radio station, Alexei Navalny famously labeled the United Russia party as the "party of crooks and thieves," a phrase that gained widespread popularity among the opposition.

May 2011: Public Opinion on Kirovles Case

In May 2011, according to the Levada Center, 20% of people believed the Kirovles case was due to an actual violation of law, while 54% thought it was related to Navalny's anti-corruption activity.

December 2011: Arrested at Moscow protest

In December 2011, Alexei Navalny was arrested on December 5th, along with approximately 300 others, at a Moscow protest following parliamentary elections and accusations of electoral fraud, and was sentenced to 15 days for defying a government official.

December 2011: Call to unite against Putin

Upon his release on 20 December 2011, Alexei Navalny called on Russians to unite against Putin, who Navalny said would try to claim victory in the presidential election.

2011: Describing United Russia as a "party of crooks and thieves"

In 2011, Alexei Navalny described Russia's ruling party, United Russia, as a "party of crooks and thieves" in an interview, a byname that gained popularity.

2011: Navalny Identifies as a Nationalist Democrat

In 2011, Alexei Navalny publicly stated that he considered himself a "nationalist democrat," reflecting his evolving views on Russian nationalism.

March 2012: Upcoming presidential election

In December 2011, Alexei Navalny spoke about the presidential elections to be held on 4 March 2012.

March 2012: Anti-Putin rally in Moscow

In March 2012, after Putin was elected president, Alexei Navalny helped lead an anti-Putin rally in Moscow's Pushkinskaya Square and was detained by authorities for several hours after the rally, and then released.

May 2012: Arrest after anti-Putin rally

On 8 May 2012, Alexei Navalny was arrested with Udaltsov after an anti-Putin rally at Clean Ponds, and given a 15-day jail sentence, leading Amnesty International to designate them prisoners of conscience.

2012: Navalny's parents still running factory

As of 2012, Alexei Navalny's parents were still running the basket-weaving factory in Kobyakovo.

2012: Comments on Ukraine and Belarus

In early 2012, Alexei Navalny stated on Ukrainian TV that "Ukraine and Belarus are the natural allies of Russia" and advocated for increased integration. Despite this, he also affirmed Ukraine's independence and national identity.

May 2013: Shifting Opinions on Kirovles Case

In May 2013, Levada Center data showed that 28% of people thought the Kirovles case was a genuine legal violation, while 47% attributed it to Navalny's anti-corruption efforts, indicating a shift in public perception.

July 2013: Public Opinion on Criminal Case Verdict

In July 2013, 13% of people found the result of another criminal case against Navalny unfair and that he was not guilty, while 17% found the verdict too tough.

September 2013: Continued Shifts in Opinion on Kirovles Case

In September 2013, the Levada Center found that 35% believed the Kirovles case was a legitimate legal matter, while 45% linked it to Navalny's anti-corruption work, continuing the trend of evolving public opinion.

October 2013: Reactions to Navalny's Mayoral Election Result

In October 2013, following Navalny's second-place finish in the Moscow mayoral election, Nezavisimaya Gazeta noted the campaign transformed him from a blogger into a politician. A Levada Center poll in October 2013 indicated Navalny was seen as a potential presidential candidate by 5% of Russians.

2013: Comments on Ethnic Riots and Immigration

In 2013, following ethnic riots in Moscow sparked by a murder committed by a migrant, Alexei Navalny expressed sympathy with the anti-immigration movement, citing failing immigration policies. He later emphasized the importance of engaging with nationalists through democratic means rather than violence.

March 2014: Call for Sanctions After Crimea Annexation

In March 2014, following Russia's annexation of Crimea, Alexei Navalny urged for increased sanctions against officials and businessmen linked to Putin, criticizing previous sanctions as insufficient.

September 2014: Further Changes in Perception of Kirovles Case

By September 2014, Levada Center data indicated that 37% of people thought the Kirovles case was due to a legal violation, while 38% associated it with Navalny's anti-corruption activity, showing a convergence of opinions.

October 2014: Suggestion for New Referendum on Crimea's Fate

In October 2014, Alexei Navalny proposed that a new and fair referendum should determine the fate of Crimea, and he also called for an end to Russia's "sponsoring the war" in Donbas.

January 2015: Decline in Belief of Unfair Verdict

By January 2015, the share of people who found the result of another criminal case against Navalny unfair and that he was not guilty dropped to 5%.

2016: Deemphasis on Past Statements on Immigration

Since 2016, Alexei Navalny began to deemphasize his past statements on immigration, signaling a shift in his public stance on the issue.

April 2017: Levada Center Poll on Navalny's Recognition

In April 2017, a Levada Center survey showed that 55% of the Russian population recognized Navalny, and of those, 4% would "definitely" vote for him in the presidential election.

2017: Renewed Call for Recognition of Transnistria's Independence

In 2017, Alexei Navalny reiterated his earlier stance from 2008, asserting that Russia should recognize the independence of Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria.

2017: Support for Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

In 2017, Leonid Volkov, Alexei Navalny's chief of staff, announced that Navalny's team supported the legalization of same-sex marriage, signaling a progressive stance on LGBTQ+ rights.

2018: Criticism of Putin After Orthodox Church of Ukraine Establishment

In 2018, after the establishment of the autonomous Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Alexei Navalny criticized Putin, stating that "What took centuries to create has been destroyed by Putin and his idiots in four years ... Putin is the enemy of the Russian World."

August 2019: Assassination of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili

In August 2019 in Berlin's Tiergarten Park, Vadim Krasikov assassinated Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a Georgian national and ethnic Chechen who opposed with violence Putin's regime.

September 2019: Navalny's Daughter Begins Studies at Stanford University

In September 2019, Navalny's daughter, Dasha, began her undergraduate studies at Stanford University.

June 2020: Support for Black Lives Matter Protests

In June 2020, Alexei Navalny publicly voiced his support for the Black Lives Matter protests against racism, aligning himself with the global movement.

August 2020: Poisoning with Novichok nerve agent

In August 2020, Alexei Navalny was hospitalized after being severely poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent and was medically evacuated to Berlin.

August 2020: Increase in Trust for Navalny in Poll

In August 2020, a Levada Center poll indicated that 4% of respondents trusted Navalny the most (out of a list of politicians), an increase from 2% the previous month, marking a shift in public perception.

August 2020: Navalny falls ill during flight from Tomsk to Moscow

On August 20, 2020, Navalny fell ill during a flight from Tomsk to Moscow and was hospitalized in Omsk after an emergency landing. His condition changed suddenly, and he was later found to have been poisoned.

September 2020: Public Opinion Poll on Navalny's Activities

In September 2020, a Levada Center poll revealed that 20% of Russians approved of Navalny's activities, 50% disapproved, and 18% had never heard of him. Among those who recognized him, opinions varied from respect and sympathy to neutrality, dislike, or being unable to say anything good or bad.

January 2021: Return to Russia and Detention

In January 2021, Alexei Navalny returned to Russia and was immediately detained for allegedly violating parole conditions while he was hospitalized in Germany.

January 2021: Navalny returns to Russia and is immediately detained

On January 17, 2021, Navalny flew back to Russia from Germany and was detained at passport control upon arrival at Sheremetyevo International Airport. The FSIN confirmed his detention for violating probation terms.

February 2021: Navalny's suspended sentence replaced with prison sentence

On February 2, 2021, a Moscow court replaced Navalny's suspended sentence with a prison sentence. The verdict was condemned internationally, and protests in Russia were met with a harsh police crackdown.

February 2021: Navalny reported to have arrived at Pokrov correctional colony

On February 28, 2021, Navalny was reported to have arrived at the Pokrov correctional colony in Vladimir Oblast, a prison where Dmitry Demushkin and Konstantin Kotov were also jailed.

March 2021: Navalny accuses authorities of torture

In March 2021, Navalny accused authorities of torture by depriving him of sleep and denying him proper medical treatment, leading him to announce a hunger strike on March 31, 2021.

April 2021: Report claims Navalny in immediate need of medical attention

On April 17, 2021, it was reported that Navalny was in immediate need of medical attention. Doctors asked prison officials to grant them access, stating "our patient can die any minute".

April 2021: Navalny moved to hospital for convicts

On April 19, 2021, Navalny was moved from prison to a hospital for convicts. On April 23, 2021, Navalny announced he was ending his hunger strike.

June 2021: Navalny's Daughter Accepts Moral Courage Award on His Behalf

On June 8, 2021, Navalny's daughter accepted the Moral Courage Award at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on behalf of her father, dedicating it to political prisoners.

February 2022: Comparison of Recognition of Separatist Republics to Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

March 2022: Sentenced to additional nine years in prison

In March 2022, Alexei Navalny was sentenced to an additional nine years in prison after being found guilty of embezzlement and contempt of court in a trial described as a sham by Amnesty International.

March 2022: Call for Daily Protests Against Invasion of Ukraine

On March 2, 2022, Alexei Navalny urged Russian citizens to stage daily protests against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, encouraging them not to be "cowards" and to stand against what he called "our insane tsar".

April 2022: Condemnation of War Crimes and Russian State Media

In April 2022, Alexei Navalny condemned the war crimes in Ukraine and criticized the "monstrosity of lies" in the Russian state media, calling for "warmongers" among media personalities to be treated as war criminals.

June 2022: Navalny Transferred to Maximum Security Prison

In mid-June 2022, Navalny was transferred to the maximum security prison IK-6 in Melekhovo, Vladimir Oblast.

October 2022: Navalny's Allies Relaunch Regional Political Network

On October 4, 2022, allies of Navalny said they were relaunching his regional political network to fight the mobilization and war.

November 2022: Navalny States He Is Now In Permanent Solitary Confinement

On November 17, 2022, Navalny stated that he was now in permanent solitary confinement. Infractions included not buttoning his collar, not cleaning the prison yard well enough, and that he addressed a prison official by his military rank rather than his patronymic.

2022: Willingness to Fill Jails to Prevent War

In 2022, Alexei Navalny stated that he and his supporters were willing to fill up jails and police vans to prevent war, emphasizing that everything has a price and that this was the time to pay it.

August 2023: Sentenced to 19 years on extremism charges

In August 2023, Alexei Navalny received another sentence of 19 years on extremism charges.

December 2023: Disappearance and Re-emergence in Arctic Circle Colony

In December 2023, Alexei Navalny went missing from prison for almost three weeks, before re-emerging in an Arctic Circle corrective colony in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.

February 2024: Alexei Navalny's Death

In February 2024, Alexei Anatolyevich Navalny died. He was a Russian opposition leader, anti-corruption activist and political prisoner at the time of his death.

February 2024: Navalny calls for anti-Putin protest during 2024 Russian election

In February 2024, Navalny and his allies urged supporters to protest against President Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine. They suggested voting against Putin simultaneously during the third day of the 2024 Russian presidential election.

February 2024: Navalny's Death in Prison and Subsequent Events

On February 16, 2024, Alexei Navalny died in prison. His spokeswoman confirmed his death the following day and demanded his body be returned to his family. On February 27, 2024, Vasily Dubkov, a lawyer for Navalny, was briefly detained in Moscow for "violating public order".

May 2024: Reported Exchange Negotiations Involving Navalny and Evan Gershkovich

On May 24, 2024, it was reported that Navalny and Evan Gershkovich had in early 2024 almost been exchanged for Vadim Krasikov, the assassin of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in August 2019.

October 2024: Publication of "Patriot" memoir

In October 2024, Alexei Navalny's memoir "Patriot", which he began writing in Germany after being poisoned, was published posthumously. His wife, Yulia Navalnaya, launched the book, which Navalny described as evolving from an "intriguing thriller" about his poisoning to more of a "prison diary."

2024: Reported Death and Subsequent Protests

In 2024, the Russian prison service reported that Alexei Navalny had died, sparking protests in Russia and other countries, alongside accusations against Putin's government.

December 2038: Expected Release Date Following Sentencing

Following his sentencing to an additional 19 years in prison in August 2023, Navalny's lawyers indicated that he would have been released in December 2038.