Who are other Russian dissidents besides the late Alexei Navalny?

By DASHA LITVINOVA
Associated Press

The sudden death of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most formidable antagonist has left an open wound in Russia’s political opposition. Alexei Navalny was the Kremlin’s best-known critic at home and abroad. Before he died in a penal colony Friday at age 47, the anti-corruption crusader, protest organizer and politician with an arch sense of humor became the subject of an award-winning documentary. His YouTube channels had millions of subscribers. In the three years since Navalny lost his freedom, other prominent dissidents were imprisoned, while some fled Russia. Many of them nevertheless persisted in challenging Putin by pushing for sanctions on Russia, supporting like-minded Russians in exile or continuing to speak out from behind bars.