Excerpts of a memoir written by late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny revealed he believed he would die in prison.
The New Yorker magazine published the excerpts Friday in anticipation of the release of “Patriot” on Oct. 22.
Navalny was President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest and most prominent foe and relentlessly campaigned against official corruption in Russia. He died in a remote Arctic prison in February while serving a 19-year sentence on several charges, including running an extremist group, which he said were politically motivated.
He was jailed after returning in 2021 from Germany where he was recuperating from a nerve agent poisoning he blamed on the Kremlin, and was given three prison terms since. Russian officials have vehemently denied involvement both in the poisoning and in his death.
“Patriot" was announced in April by publisher Alfred A. Knopf who called it the late politician’s “final letter to the world."
According to Knopf, Navalny began working on the book while recovering from the poisoning and continued writing it in Russia, both in and out of prison.
In detailing his coping strategies while imprisoned, Navalny said he would “imagine, as realistically as possible, the worst thing that could happen. And then (...) accept it.”
For him, this was dying in prison.
“I will spend the rest of my life in prison and die here,” he wrote on March 22, 2022.
“There will not be anybody to say goodbye to ... All anniversaries will be celebrated without me. I’ll never see my grandchildren.”
Although he had accepted this fate, Navalny’s memoir conveys a resolute stance against official corruption in Russia.
“My approach to the situation is certainly not one of contemplative passivity. I am trying to do everything I can from here to put an end to authoritarianism (or, more modestly, to contribute to ending it),” he wrote, also on March 22, 2022.
In a published excerpt, dated January 17, 2024, a month before his death, Navalny answers the question posed by his fellow inmates and prison guards: “Why did you come back?”
“I don’t want to give up my country or betray it. If your convictions mean something, you must be prepared to stand up for them and make sacrifices if necessary,” he wrote.
As well as capturing the isolation and challenges of his imprisonment, Navalny’s writing is notable also for its humor. The late dissident recounts a bet with his lawyers over the length of a new prison sentence: "Olga reckoned eleven to fifteen years. Vadim surprised everyone with his prediction of precisely twelve years and six months. I guessed seven to eight years and was the winner.”
He also marveled at the absurdity of being made to sit for “hours on a wooden bench under a portrait of Putin” as a “disciplinary activity.”
Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, said in a statement released in April by the publisher the book was not only a testament “to Alexei’s life, but to his unwavering commitment to the fight against dictatorship,” adding that sharing his story would" inspire others to stand up for what is right and to never lose sight of the values that truly matter.”
She also said the memoir was already translated into 11 languages and would “definitely” be published in Russian.
FILE - Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny listens to a question during an interview at the Echo Moskvy (Echo of Moscow) radio station in Moscow, Russia, Monday, April 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)
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WEEKEND COVERAGE
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For weekend stories, please click here for the Weekend Lookahead digest.
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TOP STORIES
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US-HURRICANE MILTON — Florida residents are returning to their Gulf Coast homes after evacuating for Hurricane Milton. Traffic clogged Interstate 75 and other major routes to the coast Friday as people who fled hundreds of miles to escape the storm made long, slow trips back. A former FEMA administrator said he thinks the devastation of Hurricane Helene just two weeks earlier scared many people into fleeing Milton, which killed at least 10 people. By Russ Bynum, Brendan Farrington and Ty O'Neil. SENT: 680 words, photos, videos, audio. WITH: US-HURRICANE MILTON-TORNADOES — Meteorologists believe at least 38 tornadoes were spawned by Milton and there may have been more; HURRICANE-MILTON-CLIMATE — Climate change gave significant boost to Milton’s destructive rain, winds, scientists say; HURRICANE-MILTON-THINGS-TO-KNOW — Cleanup from Hurricane Milton is underway as residents are returning home; CLIMATE-HURRICANE-SEASON-UPDATE — Experts warn “crazy busy” Atlantic hurricane season is far from over. (All Sent.)
LEBANON-ISRAEL-LEBANESE-ARMY — Since Israel launched its ground invasion of Lebanon, Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants have clashed along the border while the Lebanese army has largely stood on the sidelines. It’s not the first time the national army has found itself watching war at home from the discomfiting position of bystander. As Israeli troops made their first forays across the border and Hezbollah responded with rocket fire, Lebanese soldiers withdrew from observation posts along the frontier and repositioned about 5 kilometers. Lebanon’s army is militarily overshadowed by Hezbollah. It has about 80,000 troops, with around 5,000 of them deployed in the south. By Abby Sewell. SENT: 1,070 words, photos. WITH: MIDEAST-WARS-THE-LATEST — (Sent.)
ELECTION 2024-TRUMP-BLACK JOBS — Donald Trump’s deportation plan is predicated, in part, on the notion that immigrants are stealing what he calls “Black jobs” and “Hispanic jobs.” But government data show immigrant labor contributes to economic growth and provides promotional opportunities for native-born workers. By Fatima Hussein. SENT: 1,150 words, photos. WITH: ELECTION-2024-THE-LATEST — Hurricanes have jumbled campaign schedules for Harris and Trump. (SENT.)
BOEING-LAYOFFS — Aircraft maker Boeing said Friday it will lay off about 10% of its workers, about 17,000 people, in the coming months. The company has been losing money for more than five years and now is dealing with a strike that has shut down factories in the Seattle area. New CEO Kelly Ortberg says in a memo to staff that the job cuts over the coming months will include executives, managers and employees. By David Koenig. SENT: 550 words, photo.
BRITAIN-LABOUR-100-DAYS — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer marks 100 days in office on Saturday with little cause for celebration. Starmer’s center-left Labour Party was elected by a landslide on July 4, sweeping back to power after 14 years. But after weeks of stories about feuding, freebies and fiscal gloom, polls suggest Starmer’s personal approval rating has plummeted. Labour is only slightly more popular than a Conservative Party that was rejected by voters after years of infighting and scandal. By Jill Lawless. SENT: 810 words, photos.
JAPAN-NOBEL PEACE — The recipient of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize is a fast-dwindling group of atomic bomb survivors. They are increasingly worried about their old age and the limited time to convey the firsthand horror they witnessed 79 years ago. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Friday to Nihon Hidankyo for its activism against nuclear weapons. By Mari Yamaguchi. SENT: 630 words, photos.
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MORE NEWS
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BANGLADESH-HINDU-FESTIVAL — Minority Hindus in the Muslim-majority Bangladesh are celebrating their largest religious festival of Durga Puja, but fear and worries grip them following reports of violence. The interim government of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has promised enough security for more than 32,000 installations as the festival ends Sunday. SENT: 770 words, photos.
ANCHORAGE-WILDLIFE CAMS — Alaska is known for its abundant wildlife, but you don’t have to travel far from Anchorage to see it. A Facebook group features the brown and black bears, moose, wolves and other creatures caught on webcams set up in the city’s largest park. SENT: 790 words, photos, video.
WIFE-CARRYING CONTEST — Contestants are set to hoist their partners and splash through water, jump over logs and trudge through muck during the North American Wife Carrying Championship in Maine on Saturday. SENT: 210 words.
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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ELECTION 2024-HARRIS-MEDICAL REPORT — Vice President Kamala Harris plans to release a report Saturday on her medical history and health. Her campaign says it will show the 59-year-old Harris “possesses the physical and mental resiliency” needed to serve as president. Harris’ advisers hope to draw a contrast with Donald Trump and raise questions about his fitness to serve. SENT: 260 words, photo.
ELECTION 2024-SENATE-TEXAS — A Democrat hasn’t won a statewide office in Texas in 30 years, but the party hopes a congressman from Dallas can break that drought. Rep. Colin Allred is seeking to unseat Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in a race that could decide control of the U.S. Senate. SENT: 1,180 words, photos.
ELECTION 2024-CALIFORNIA MINIMUM WAGE — Voters will decide in November whether California should raise its hourly minimum wage to $18 by 2026 and pay workers what would be the highest statewide minimum wage in the country. SENT: 950 words, photos.
VOTER-ROLLS-LAWSUIT-VIRGINIA — The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit on Friday alleging Virginia officials are violating federal election law by striking names from voter rolls within 90 days of the Nov. 5 election. It is the second lawsuit to be filed against Virginia over the state’s systematic program. SENT: 450 words.
ALABAMA-BALLOT-RESTRICTIONS — A federal appeals court ruled a portion of a new Alabama law limiting help with absentee ballot applications will remain blocked. The decision Friday sides with voting rights groups who argued it discriminated against voters who are blind, disabled or cannot read. SENT: 380 words.
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NATIONAL
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TRANSIT SECURITY — Transit systems are building stronger, better security gates to avoid fare skippers. It’s part of an effort to win back customers concerned about safety. But does cracking down on ticketless riders really help eliminate violent crime? SENT: 2,000 words, photos.
BALLOON-STRIKES-TOWER — A hot-air balloon struck and collapsed a radio tower Friday in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the city’s famous balloon festival, the second time in 20 years that a balloon has come into contact with that tower. SENT: 240 words, photo, video.
CAMPUS-DEATH-GEORGIA — The man accused of killing a nursing student whose body was found on the University of Georgia campus appeared Friday at a court hearing to hear motions in the case as his trial looms next month. SENT: 620 words, photos.
HICKORY-GROUND-COURT-ARGUMENTS — A federal appeals court revived a lawsuit filed by one Native American tribe over another’s construction of a casino on what they said is sacred land. SENT: 450 words.
POLICE-SHOOTING-CELLPHONE — Colorado police officer who killed a Black man holding a cellphone mistaken for a gun won’t be prosecuted. SENT: 360 words.
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INTERNATIONAL
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ZAMBIA-FAILING-DAM-ELECTRICITY — Zambia’s worst electricity blackouts in memory have been caused by a severe drought in the region that has left the critical Kariba dam with insufficient water to run its hydroelectric turbines. Months of drought brought by the naturally occurring El Nino weather pattern and exacerbated by warming temperatures means the water level is so low that only one of the six turbines on Zambia’s side of the dam is able to operate. SENT: 1,090 words, photos.
KENYA-NUCLEAR-PLANT — Dozens have rallied against a proposal to build Kenya’s first nuclear power plant in one of the country’s top coastal tourist hubs which also houses a forest on the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage site. SENT: 680 words, video.
AUSTRALIA-NAZI-SALUTE — An Australian state police chief has apologized to the Jewish community after a police sergeant allegedly performed an outlawed Nazi salute. The 65-year-old instructor at the Victoria state police academy in Melbourne is facing charges for the gesture and for praising Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in front of academy staff and recruits. SENT: 460 words.
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HEALTH & SCIENCE
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TIKTOK-STATE-LAWSUIT — TikTok has been aware its design features are detrimental to its young users and publicly touted tools aimed at limiting kids’ time on the site were largely ineffective, according to internal documents and communications exposed in a lawsuit by the state of Kentucky. SENT: 1,160 words, photos, audio.
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BUSINESS
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CHINA-ECONOMY — China’s finance minister says the government is looking at additional ways to boost the economy, but he didn’t unveil a major new stimulus plan at a news conference Saturday. SENT: 280 words, photos.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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FILM-CHRISTOPHER-REEVE — Christopher Reeve’s children say they made a point to include all the complexities of their father’s life in the new documentary “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” because that’s what he would have wanted. SENT: 860 words, photos, video.
SEXUAL-MISCONDUCT-HARVEY-WEINSTEIN — Prosecutors are asking a Manhattan judge to consolidate the two sex crime cases that disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein faces in New York into a single trial. SENT: 520 words, photo.
ITALY-FENDI-DESIGNER — British designer Kim Jones is stepping down from his role as artistic director of womenswear and couture at Fendi. Jones succeeded the late Karl Lagerfeld in designing Fendi haute couture, ready-to-wear and fur in September 2020. SENT: 200 words, photo.
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SPORTS
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NLDS-PADRES-DODGERS — Yoshinobu Yamamoto outdueled Yu Darvish in a historic playoff matchup of Japanese-born starters, and the Los Angeles Dodgers got home runs from Kiké Hernández and Teoscar Hernández to beat the San Diego Padres 2-0 and advance to the National League Championship Series. SENT: 1,210 words, photos.
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FILE - Designer Kim Jones acknowledges the applause of the audience at the end of the Fendi Spring-Summer 2021 Haute Couture fashion collection presented on Jan. 27, 2021 in Paris. British designer Kim Jones is stepping down from his role as artistic director of womenswear and couture at Fendi, parent group LVMH announced. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández, left, gets sunflower seeds to the face to celebrate his solo home run as Mookie Betts (50) looks on during the seventh inning in Game 5 of a baseball NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
FILE - Matthew Reeve, from left, Alexandra Reeve Givens, and Will Reeve, children of the late actor Christopher Reeve, appear at the premiere of "Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story" at the Museum of Modern Art in New York on Sept. 18, 2024. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
Tindor Sikunyongana welds using a diesel generator in Lusaka, Zambia, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
This image made from a video provided by Curt Fargo shows a radio tower collapsing after a hot-air balloon struck it during the famous festival in Albuquerque, N.M., Oct. 11, 2024. (Curt Fargo via AP)
In this image made from video provided byTeller County Sheriff’s Office, emergency responders work at the site of a mining accident in Cripple Creek, Colo, on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024.
Workers install a metal gate that will prevent customers from entering a MetroLink platform without a valid fare card in an effort to increase security Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Sheraton Grand Hotel workers Lupe Ventura, center, and Alex Ivanitsky, right, who are represented by hospitality workers union United Here Local 49, participate in a strike authorization vote in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024. The union is asking for higher wages and the reversal of COVID-era staffing cuts. (Paul Kitagaki Jr./The Sacramento Bee via AP)
Donna Gail Shaw checks her trail camera on Sept. 26, 2024, near a populated neighborhood of Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
A visitor prays in front of the Peace Statue at the Peace Park in Nagasaki, southern Japan Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, a day after the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization of survivors of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for its activism against nuclear weapons. (Kyodo News via AP)
Hindu devotees offer prayers at the Dhakeshwari National Temple during the Durgapuja festival in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Oct. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)
FILE - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to members of the media in Rome, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (Phil Noble/Pool Photo via AP, File)
FILE - Unpainted Boeing 737 Max aircraft are seen on Sept. 24, 2024, at the company's facilities in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign event Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, at the Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump gestures to supporters at a campaign rally at Grand Sierra Resort and Casino, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in Reno, Nev. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
FILE - Flames and smoke rise from an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein, File)
A destroyed building stands on Manasota Key, Fla., following the passage of Hurricane Milton, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
