Polish authorities arrested three individuals on Friday, including two Polish citizens and a Belarusian national, in relation to a violent attack on Leonid Volkov, an ally of the late Russian dissident, Alexei Navalny. Volkov was seriously assaulted outside his Lithuanian home in mid-March where he resides in exile. The arrests were announced by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on X, formerly known as Twitter.
He also stated that the individuals apprehended are linked to extremist groups and that anyone aligned with Russian services would not be given any leniency. More here.
The President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda, celebrated the news of the arrests, commending the law enforcement efforts involved and cautioning the potential perpetrators not to attempt such attacks in the future. You can find Nauseda’s full statement here
On the day of the assault, March 12, Volkov was attacked with tear gas and a hammer after his car window was shattered by unknown assailants. Following the arrests, Volkov expressed his gratitude towards the Lithuanian and Polish law enforcement agencies for their work in apprehending the suspects, emphasising the necessity of uncovering the entire chain of command, from Putin “to the guy with the hammer”. The full statement can be read on Volkov’s X social media account.
Leonid Volkov served as the chief of staff to Alexei Navalny, the late Russian opposition leader who died in prison in February while serving a nineteen-year sentence. Volkov has been repeatedly charged with offences that he maintains are politically motivated. More can be read on Navalny’s death here.
For complete details regarding this important development, visit the primary report on Jurist.org.