Yulia Navalnaya

An economist by training and a Russian opposition leader by necessity, Yulia Navalnaya has become a leading figure in the global fight for democracy, human dignity and the rule of law.

Born in Moscow in 1976 and educated at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Navalnaya spent more than 25 years at the side of her husband, Alexei Navalny, as he built Russia’s largest pro-democracy movement and exposed Vladimir Putin’s corrupt system to the world.

When Navalny was killed in a Russian prison in February 2024, Yulia Navalnaya refused to retreat into silence. Instead, she made an unwavering commitment to continue the work for which her husband gave his life — a free, peaceful and democratic Russia grounded in European values.

Navalnaya serves as Chair of the International Anti-Corruption Foundation Advisory Board and, since 2024, as Chair of the Human Rights Foundation. From these platforms she campaigns tirelessly for human rights, accountability, and the political freedoms denied to millions of Russians. Her voice carries particular weight not only because of what she has endured, but because of the calm, principled way she speaks about Europe’s role, Russia’s future, and the moral responsibilities of democratic nations.

Much of Navalnaya’s authority comes from lived experience. She helped Alexei Navalny expose state theft at the highest levels, fought publicly for his evacuation after he survived a nerve-agent poisoning, and endured years of threats, surveillance and intimidation. Even after a Russian court issued an arrest warrant for her, she remained unflinching. Her poise in the face of danger has made her an emblem of democratic resilience.

Today, Yulia Navalnaya speaks to audiences around the world about the values that underpin open societies. The rule of law, honest institutions, free elections, independent courts, and a state that serves its people. She argues that the “Beautiful Russia of the Future,” envisioned by Alexei Navalny, is not a dream but a return to Russia’s rightful European path. At a time when Europe faces its own internal tests and rising populism, her message resonates far beyond the Russian context.