麻豆影视

Skip to main content

Russia blamed after Navalny鈥檚 former chief of staff attacked with hammer in Lithuania

Leonid Volkov, Alexey Navalny's former chief of staff, speaks during an interview in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 2022. Janis Laizans/Reuters/File via CNN Newsource Leonid Volkov, Alexey Navalny's former chief of staff, speaks during an interview in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 2022. Janis Laizans/Reuters/File via CNN Newsource
Share

Alexey Navalny鈥檚 chief of staff was attacked in Lithuania Tuesday, the Kremlin critic鈥檚 team said, as Lithuania鈥檚 intelligence agency pinned the blame on Russia as the "likely" force behind the assault.

"Leonid Volkov has just been attacked outside his house. Someone broke a car window and sprayed tear gas in his eyes, after which the attacker started hitting Leonid with a hammer,鈥 Navalny鈥檚 spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said in a social media post.

Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Navalny鈥檚 Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), said that Volkov was attacked "near the house" in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius and "they hit his legs with a hammer and hit his arms."

Images shared by Zhdanov showed Volkov with a swollen face and a bloodied leg. Shattered glass and blood are seen next to a car in another picture. Volkov has since been taken to hospital, Zhdanov said in a social media post.

He added that "it is obvious that after the murder of Navalny, they will now fully go after those who left the Russian Federation." CNN is unable to independently verify Zhdanov鈥檚 claims.

Lithuania鈥檚 intelligence agency announced Wednesday that it believes the attack on Volkov was likely "Russian organized.鈥

"The attack against a FBK member Leonid VOLKOV, carried out on 12 March 2024 in Vilnius, is likely an operation organized and implemented by Russia. The aim of the operation was likely to curb Russian opposition activities related to the upcoming undemocratic Russian presidential elections," the intelligence agency said in a statement.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said there is "no doubt" the attack was "planned."

"There is no doubt that such things are planned. Look at the recent increase in desecration of the Lithuanian flag, incidents with monuments," he said, referring to a string of desecrations of Lithuanian national flags carried out last week.

Authorities in the Baltic country will "assess, 锘縤nvestigate and hopefully find the guilty persons," Gitanas said before going on to make a direct address to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

"And I can only say one thing to Putin - nobody is afraid of you here."

The attack comes days before Russia鈥檚 presidential election, seen as a constitutional box-ticking exercise where President Vladimir Putin is all but certain to win a fifth term.

Volkov, who had served as chairman of Navalny鈥檚 Anti-Corruption Foundation until 2023, dismissed the elections in February as a "circus," saying on social media they were meant to signal Putin鈥檚 overwhelming mass support.

"You need to understand what the March 鈥榚lections鈥 mean for Putin. They are a propaganda effort to spread hopelessness" among the electorate, Volkov said.

The opposition figure has lived outside Russia for several years due to safety reasons. He faces multiple politically motivated charges in Russia.

Navalny, who was the most prominent anti-Putin voice in Russia, died last month in a Russian prison, sparking condemnation from world leaders and accusations from his aides that he had been murdered. The Kremlin has denied any involvement in his death.

Navalny鈥檚 team and numerous other Russian activists have fled the country in recent years as Moscow鈥檚 increasingly repressive regime cracked down on any opposition. In 2021, a Moscow court said the Anti-Corruption Foundation was an "extremist" group in a ruling that was widely condemned by the international community.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Childhood sleep issues may raise suicide risk, study finds

If your child sometimes has trouble sleeping, it may be easy to chalk it up to a phase they will grow out of one day. But a new study suggests possible serious consequences for this line of thought 鈥 such as a higher risk for suicidal ideation or attempts when they are older.

Infectious disease physician Dr. Isaac Bogoch says whooping cough is most risky for unvaccinated infants, children and older people.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.