Navalny lawyer Alexander Fedulov, previously reported to be missing, announces he has left Russia

One of Alexey Navalny’s lawyers, Alexander Fedulov, whom Navalny associates reported being unable to contact on Monday afternoon, has said on Instagram that he has left Russia.

“The situation has taken a strange turn. The arrest of our colleagues who defended Navalny has brought substantial changes to the work of attorneys who remain free. The enormous amount of work, the number of court cases, and the current situation have necessitated adjustments in the ongoing protection of our client’s interests. This is what made it necessary for me to leave Russia,” Fedulov wrote. He did not disclose his current location.

Earlier on Monday, Navalny’s team said on Telegram that Fedulov had been unexpectedly absent from the politician’s hearing in Kovrov and was not answering his phone.

On October 13, three of Navalny’s lawyers — Igor Sergunin, Alexey Liptser, and Vadim Kobzev — were arrested on suspicion of being involved with an “extremist organization.”