The Widow Of The Late Leader Of Navalny's Opposition Will Return To Russia And Run As President

Yulia Navalnaya. (Wikimedia Commons/European Parliament)

JAKARTA - Yulia Navalnaya, wife of Russia's late opposition leader Alexei Navalny said that one day she will return to Russia and run for president, when Vladimir Putin is no longer in power.

Since Navalny's death in Russian prisons in the Arctic Circle in February, no single leader has emerged to unite different opposition in the country, causing significant conflict between various Russian dissident groups abroad.

"My political opponent is Vladimir Putin. And I will do everything to make his regime fall as quickly as possible," Navalnaya told the BBC.

If the time is right, "I will participate in the general election as a candidate," he said.

His Naval said he would not return to Russia if President Putin was still in power. Putin, who is 72 years old this month, has been in power since 1999.

Navalny (47) died suddenly on February 16. He has served a sentence of more than 30 years on charges that he said were fabricated to silence his criticism of Putin.

The Kremlin considers Navalny's political ally as a dangerous extremist who wants to destabilize the country on behalf of the West.

Navalny described Russia under Putin as a fragile criminal state run by thieves, spies and spies who only care about money.

He had long predicted Russia could face major political turmoil, including revolution.

Navalnaya accused Putin of ordering the murder of her husband, a claim the Kremlin has repeatedly denied.

In August, Navalnaya denied information from investigators that Navalny died of "disease combination".

She told the BBC that the Anti-Corruption Foundation she now leads replaces her husband with evidence that she will reveal when they have a "complete picture".

According to the AP and Wall Street Journal, the United States intelligence agency has determined that Putin did not order the killing of Navalny.