Opposition in Exile: Infighting Eclipses Activism

Russia's opposition in exile faces deepening fractures as allies of the late Alexei Navalny accuse another opposition figure of orchestrating attacks on activists. This scandal threatens the opposition's unity, credibility, and efforts against the Kremlin. High-profile figures Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Leonid Nevzlin deny the allegations, while dissident circles react with disbelief and concern.

Splits within Russia's opposition-in-exile have intensified, shifting the focus from political activism to internal strife. Allies of the late Alexei Navalny have accused another opposition figure, Leonid Nevzlin, of orchestrating attacks on activists.

The scandal jeopardizes the opposition's fragile unity and credibility, particularly in the eyes of supporters and international observers. The two main factions, one associated with Navalny and the other with Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, have had public disagreements before, but this latest rift is the most severe, involving allegations leveled against Nevzlin, an Israel-based tycoon and Khodorkovsky ally.

In serious incidents, senior Navalny aides Leonid Volkov and Ivan Zhdanov, along with an Argentina-based activist's wife, were attacked. Volkov, assaulted in Vilnius, Lithuania, in March, sustained a broken arm and damaged leg from a hammer-wielding assailant. Navalny's team released a video accusing Nevzlin of orchestrating these assaults.

Nevzlin and Khodorkovsky have dismissed the allegations as baseless and suggested they resemble Russian state propaganda. With Navalny no longer alive, the opposition lacks a clear leader, though his widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has vowed to continue his efforts.

This upheaval within opposition ranks casts doubt on future actions against the Kremlin and stirs apprehension among dissident circles. The Lithuanian General Prosecutor's office continues to investigate Volkov's attack, while reactions on social media reflect shock and skepticism about the allegations' origins.

(With inputs from agencies.)