Opposition leaders Yulia Navalnaya and Vladimir Kara-Murza visit Helsinki for meetings with Finnish officials

Russian democratic opposition representatives Yulia Navalnaya and Vladimir Kara-Murza are continuing their two-day visit to Helsinki today. The opposition figures living in exile have been invited to Finland by Kimmo Kiljunen, the chair of the Finnish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

During their visit, Navalnaya and Kara-Murza will meet with various Finnish officials, including President Alexander Stubb, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, Parliament Speaker Jussi Halla-aho, and former President Sauli Niinistö.

Yulia Navalnaya is the widow of opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who died in prison in Russia in February. She has continued her husband’s work in advocating for democracy and human rights. Vladimir Kara-Murza, a journalist and opposition politician, was awarded the European Human Rights Prize in 2022. He was imprisoned in Russia for over two years before being released in August as part of a significant prisoner exchange between Russia and the West.

Kara-Murza and Kiljunen will hold a press conference at the Parliament House at 1:15 PM.