Yesterday morning, Russian opposition activist Alexei NavalnyA well-known opposition leader in Russia and critic of Vladimir Putin, who died in prison in 2024 at the age of 47. grabbed a cup of tea at the airport, posed for photos with fans, and then boarded a plane to Moscow. But soon, he was howling in agony and the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing.

By the time he reached the hospital, he was already unconscious. He is now in a coma on a ventilator in intensive care. According to his spokesperson, there is no doubt that he was "poisoned with something mixed into his tea". An air ambulance has begun its journey from Germany to take him to Berlin for specialist treatment.

Many opponents of the Russian government have been poisoned since President Putin came to power in 2000, but the attack on Navalny may be the most significant. Analysts say he was the biggest threat to Putin: a genuinely popular figurehead of a grassroots revolt. The president rarely even mentions his name.

But who is Navalny? The lawyer-turned-campaigner rose to prominence in 2008 with a blog investigating corruption within Russia's political elite. Banned from national media, he gained a massive audience online, where he branded the government a "party of crooks and thieves" who were "sucking the blood out of Russia".

The KremlinThe official residence of the president of the Russian Federation, the Kremlin is used as a metonym for the government, in the same way as the White House and Downing Street refer to the US and UK governments. hit back, declaring his Anti-Corruption Foundation a foreign agentRussia's list of foreign agents includes many charities and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and is meant to prevent what the government views as foreign interference or espionage. and investigating him for embezzlementNavalny has twice received suspended sentences for the theft of funds. He denied the accusations and his convictions sparked large-scale protests.. He has been arrested and jailed several times, but he has refused to back down. Disqualified from running for president, he stood for election as mayor of Moscow in 2013 and won 27% of the vote.

That was a surprising result in a country where opposition candidates struggle to be heard. Navalny has gained a following among the young, urban middle class, who like the way he mocks the elite. Campaigning in Siberia this week, he said, "These crooks won't kick themselves out of office."

But will the people remove Putin? In a referendumA direct vote by the population of a country on a particular law or issue. in June, they voted overwhelmingly to change the rules to allow him to serve until 2036. Navalny described the vote as a "coup" and there were widespread reports of electoral fraudIndependent election observers reported an "unprecedented" level of fraud whilst people claimed they had been offered prizes if they voted..

Research shows Putin's popularity has fallen to a historic low and a majority want an age cap of 70 on running for president. Putin is 68. Meanwhile, there is growing anger over the government's handling of Covid-19 and large anti-Kremlin protests in Russia's far eastResidents of the city of Khabarovsk, on the Chinese border, have been staging weekly demonstrations against the government in Moscow in some of the largest protests Russia has seen for years.. Political analyst Kirill Rogov says Russia is "now at a crossroads".

The country has a long history of uprisings overhauling the status quo. The 1917 Russian revolution brought down the tsar and mass protest reversed a military coup in 1991. But so far under Putin, all attempts to change the government have failed.

Some believe 2020 is different and the mood has changed. The poisoning of the most prominent face of opposition may be the moment Russians decide they have had enough.

No. Putin is a survivor and has 20 years of experience at holding on to power. Even if Navalny's poisoning sparks protests, the Kremlin is skilled at controlling the narrative, cracking down on dissent and distracting the public. Putin feared Navalny whilst he was attacking the government, but he will worry less now Navalny is in a coma.

Yes. Navalny's poisoning is a tipping point. He was a charismatic critic of Putin's government and he will be seen as a martyr by his supporters. His remarks often divide opinion, but - as a victim - he will unite the opposition. The worsening economic crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic only make another revolution more likely.