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Alexei Navalny arrives in Russia amid arrest threats | DW | 17.01.2021
The plane carrying Alexei Navalny to Russia was abruptly redirected to a different Moscow airport. Police arrested several of his supporters, who had been waiting to welcome Navalny at his scheduled destination.
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The plane carrying Alexei Navalny to Russia was abruptly redirected to a different Moscow airport. Police arrested several of his supporters, who had been waiting to welcome Navalny at his scheduled destination.
Fierce Kremlin critic and political campaigner Alexei Navalny arrived back in Russia on Sunday, despite being warned by Russian authorities that he will be arrested upon his return to the country.
Navalny left Berlin on a flight operated by Russian airline Pobeda and was scheduled to land at Moscow's Vnukovo airport. Just minutes before his arrival, however, Pobeda said the hub was closed for arriving planes. The screens at Vnukovo then showed the flight as being diverted to Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport.
The Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), founded by Navalny, confirmed his arrival to Sheremetyevo and invited people to "come meet him."
"You might still make it!" they wrote on Twitter.
After landing, Navalny said he was not afraid of anything and headed to passport control, according to Russia's Dozhd TV.
The broadcaster also published a picture of the politician riding the airport bus with his wife.