Main content

Is the Greatest Threat to Putin Really Alexei Navalny?

The opposition leader has brought thousands onto the streets in over 160 towns across Russia to protest against corruption. Even in Putin’s heartlands, the rural provinces.

On 12 June 2017 thousands of protesters took to the streets in over 160 towns and cities across Russia. Opposition leader Alexei Navalny called on people to march against corruption from Kaliningrad in the west to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the east, in bustling cities and significantly, in rural towns where support for President Putin is strong. This is unusual. Protests are usually restricted to the urban elites in Moscow. So who is Navalny and how has he managed to bring so many people out on the streets?

Our expert witnesses assess the strength of the opposition movement in Russia. They explain that the protests reveal a greater threat to Putin. The mobilisation of a young generation who do not believe what they see on state TV and are turning to opposition politics online instead.

Presenter: Ruth Alexander
Producers: Phoebe Keane and Estelle Doyle

(Photo: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny speaks during a rally in Lyublino, a suburb of Moscow, 20 September 2015. Credit: Getty Images)

Available now

23 minutes

Last on

Mon 19 Jun 201703:06GMT
BBC World Service Australasia

More episodes

Previous

How Do You Report Terrorism?

Next

Why Does China Want to Revive the Silk Road?

See all episodes from The Inquiry

Clips

See all clips from Is the Greatest Threat to Putin Really Alexei Navalny?(2)

Broadcasts

  • Thu 15 Jun 201702:06GMT
    BBC World Service Online, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview & West and Central Africa only
  • Thu 15 Jun 201703:06GMT
    BBC World Service East Asia & South Asia only
  • Thu 15 Jun 201706:06GMT
    BBC World Service Australasia & East and Southern Africa only
  • Thu 15 Jun 201707:06GMT
    BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East
  • Thu 15 Jun 201713:06GMT
    BBC World Service Australasia
  • Thu 15 Jun 201714:06GMT
    BBC World Service except Australasia & News Internet
  • Thu 15 Jun 201719:06GMT
    BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa, News Internet & West and Central Africa
  • Sat 17 Jun 201723:06GMT
    BBC World Service except News Internet
  • Mon 19 Jun 201703:06GMT
    BBC World Service Australasia

Podcast

  • The Inquiry

    The Inquiry explores the trends, forces and ideas shaping the world