"Russians Defy Putin to Mourn Navalny at Moscow Funeral"

Thousands of Russians paid their final respects at the funeral of Alexei Navalny, Putin's staunchest critic, despite the current wave of repression against dissenting voices. The scenes of support for Navalny and his vision for a democratic Russia stand in stark contrast to the pro-Putin, anti-Western narrative portrayed on state TV. With Navalny's death, the opposition has lost its most charismatic leader, leaving President Putin facing no serious challenge in the upcoming presidential election. Despite the expected "landslide" victory, many Russians who vote for Putin do so because they see no alternative, while others continue to desire a different Russia.