Alexei Navalny’s ally Leonid Volkov attacked with hammer in Lithuanian capital

A close ally of Alexei Navalny, Leonid Volkov, was attacked with a hammer and tear gas outside his house in Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania.

The incident took place days after Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in the Arctic prison under mysterious circumstances.

Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said that an unknown assailant assaulted Volkov with a hammer and tear gas while he was sitting in his car on Tuesday night (Mar 12). He added that the assailant’s motive is unknown.

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“Volkov has just been attacked outside his house. Someone broke a car window and sprayed teargas in his eyes, after which the attacker started hitting Leonid with a hammer,” wrote former Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Lithuania expresses ‘shock’, investigates the incident

According to the Reuters news agency, the Lithuanian police were informed of the incident and have been investigating the attack.

Meanwhile, Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said that the attack reported is “shocking”.

“News about Leonid’s assault is shocking. Relevant authorities are at work. Perpetrators will have to answer for their crime,” wrote Landsbergis on X.

The Lithuanian police told the local news outlet Delfi that “a man, a Russian citizen, was beaten near his home in Vilnius” on Tuesday evening.

Volkov recently urged Russians to turn out in big numbers for an election-day protest ahead of the upcoming presidential elections.

Ivan Zhdanov, another member of Navalny’s team, shared pictures of Volkov on social media which showed his bloodied lower left leg and what appeared like a bruise to his temple.

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While informing if the assailant shouted anything during an attack, Zhdanov said, “Everything happened in silence. Of course this is a clear political attack, there is no doubt here”.

Meanwhile, Volkov’s wife said that he had broken his arm in the attack, however, now he has come back home from hospital adding that he was not able to walk due to the hammer blows to his leg.

“We will all work even more. And with even greater anger,” she wrote on X.

Volkov has stayed outside Russia for a few years to ensure his own safety and served as chief-of-staff of Navalny up until the opposition leader lost his life in the Russian Arctic prison last month while serving a 19-year prison term.