.png)
Nearly 400 people were arrested in Russia amid demonstrations mourning the Friday death of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, according to rights groups. Prison officials claimed Saturday the 47-year-old died of sudden death syndrome, a catch-all term for various causes of cardiac arrest. Navalny's family has been unable to locate the body.
The longtime YouTuber and one-time presidential candidate had amassed 6 million followers for his documentary exposés of corruption in Russia under current President Vladimir Putin. In late 2020, Navalny nearly died after being poisoned with a Soviet-era nerve agent and was flown to Germany for recuperation. He was jailed upon voluntarily returning to Russia in 2021. His death comes a month before elections where Putin is slated to win a fifth presidential term amid limited opposition. See Navalny's life in photos here.
Separately, Russian forces announced the capture of the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka Sunday, Russia's most significant gain since taking the city of Bakhmut in May. See war updates here.