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An extraordinary day in Moscow: Even his allies say there is a strong chance Navalny will be arrested after he lands at Vnukovo Airport tonight. "Leaving Navalny free would mean showing weakness in the eyes of his inner circle." https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/17/world/europe/navalny-russia-return.html
Yesterday, Navalny thanked his German hosts. “Do you hear ‘the kindest, helpful, friendly people’ and not immediately think of Germans?” he wrote. “Then you are wrong. That’s exactly who they are.” https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/17/world/europe/navalny-russia-return.html
Navalny boards the plane in Berlin, via livestream from @tvrain
“I am sure that everything will be absolutely great,” he said as he boarded, and urged everyone to sit down. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/17/world/europe/navalny-russia-return.html
The plane is in the air. Just before takeoff, Navalny posts a video in which his wife Yuliya quotes from the Russian crime drama "Brat 2": “Bring us some vodka, boy. We’re flying home.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CKJiIk0oQBq/
The line to enter the arrivals area of Vnukovo Airport, where Navalny’s flight is now scheduled to land at 7:36 pm Moscow time
At cafe in Vnukovo, police in uniform and plainclothes just came and detained @SobolLubov and other Navalny supporters
Also, the absurd: Russian pop star Olga Buzova is also flying in tonight (on a domestic flight) and her fans are here to greet her
Navalny's plane has been asked to hold in the air and other planes are being diverted from VKO to other airports, per a colleague listening to air traffic control
Reuters: POBEDA AIRLINE SAYS VNUKOVO AIRPORT WHERE NAVALNY EXPECTED TO ARRIVE CLOSED FOR ARRIVING PLANES
POBEDA AIRLINE SAYS VNUKOVO AIRPORT WHERE NAVALNY EXPECTED TO ARRIVE CLOSED FOR ARRIVING PLANES
POBEDA AIRLINE SAYS VNUKOVO AIRPORT WHERE NAVALNY EXPECTED TO ARRIVE CLOSED FOR ARRIVING PLANES
Meanwhile here at the arrivals hall the main thing we hear is “Bu-zo-va! Bu-zo-va!” from the pop star’s fans waiting to greet her
Navalny’s plane has been diverted to Sheremetyevo, another Moscow airport, per the Vnukovo arrivals board
It’s -21 Celsius outside. Some of the Navalny supporters who didn’t make it inside the terminal are being led away by the police
Navalny’s flight has landed at SVO, per his spokeswoman https://twitter.com/kira_yarmysh/status/1350853447323701248
Per colleague listening to air traffic control, the pilot asked ATC for reason why plane was diverted; he was told it was a blocked runway.
Here's a livestream from inside the plane by @CurrentTimeTv
Navalny and his wife Yuliya on the tarmac bus at Sheremetyevo.
Navalny just spoke to journalists standing in front of a lit-up photo of the Kremlin in the SVO transit area. “I am not afraid,” he said. “I know that I am right. I know all the criminal cases against me are fabricated.”
Navalny has been detained at passport control, according to his spokeswoman. Here he and his wife Yuliya embrace just before he is led away.
Navalny will be detained pending a court hearing for violating the terms of an earlier suspended sentence, the federal prison service says. https://tass.ru/proisshestviya/10480567
At the arrivals hall of Sheremetyevo Terminal D
Yuliya Navalnaya, leaving the airport without her husband, says, per @CurrentTimeTv footage: “He is not afraid. I also am not afraid, and I call on you all not to be afraid.”
