EXPLAINER: Why Navalny is a thorn in the Kremlin's side
FILE - In this Jan. 28, 2018, file photo, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, centre, attends a rally in Moscow, Russia. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. He has outlasted many opposition figures and is undeterred by incessant attempts to stop his work. (AP Photo/Evgeny Feldman, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 28, 2018, file photo, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, centre, attends a rally in Moscow, Russia. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. He has outlasted many opposition figures and is undeterred by incessant attempts to stop his work. (AP Photo/Evgeny Feldman, File)

Jan. 22, 2021 01:01 AM EST
FILE - In this Jan. 18, 2021, file photo, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, right, is escorted hand-cuffed after a court hearing in Moscow, Russia. The return of Navalny from Germany after he spent five months in Berlin recovering from a nerve agent poisoning was marked by chaos and popular outrage, and it ended, almost predictably with his arrest. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 18, 2021, file photo, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, right, is escorted hand-cuffed after a court hearing in Moscow, Russia. The return of Navalny from Germany after he spent five months in Berlin recovering from a nerve agent poisoning was marked by chaos and popular outrage, and it ended, almost predictably with his arrest. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File)

Jan. 22, 2021 01:01 AM EST
FILE - In this Dec. 24, 2017, file photo, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his wife Yulia attend a meeting where he was nominated for the presidential election race in Moscow, Russia. Navalny sought to challenge President Vladimir Putin in the 2018 election, but was barred from running by one of his convictions. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 24, 2017, file photo, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his wife Yulia attend a meeting where he was nominated for the presidential election race in Moscow, Russia. Navalny sought to challenge President Vladimir Putin in the 2018 election, but was barred from running by one of his convictions. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File)

Jan. 22, 2021 01:01 AM EST
FILE - In this May 5, 2018, file photo, Russian police carry opposition leader Alexei Navalny, center, from a demonstration against President Vladimir Putin in Pushkin Square in Moscow, Russia. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. Frequently arrested, he has served multiple stints in jail for charges relating to leading protests. (AP Photo/File)

FILE - In this May 5, 2018, file photo, Russian police carry opposition leader Alexei Navalny, center, from a demonstration against President Vladimir Putin in Pushkin Square in Moscow, Russia. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. Frequently arrested, he has served multiple stints in jail for charges relating to leading protests. (AP Photo/File)

Jan. 22, 2021 01:01 AM EST
FILE - In this Nov. 15, 2018, file photo, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny attends his hearing at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, eastern France. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. He has outlasted many opposition figures and is undeterred by incessant attempts to stop his work. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 15, 2018, file photo, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny attends his hearing at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, eastern France. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. He has outlasted many opposition figures and is undeterred by incessant attempts to stop his work. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias, File)

Jan. 22, 2021 01:01 AM EST
FILE - In this Aug. 22, 2019, file photo, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny speaks to the media prior to a court session in Moscow, Russia. The return of Navalny from Germany on Jan. 17, 2021, after he spent five months in Berlin recovering from a nerve agent poisoning was marked by chaos and popular outrage, and it ended, almost predictably with his arrest. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 22, 2019, file photo, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny speaks to the media prior to a court session in Moscow, Russia. The return of Navalny from Germany on Jan. 17, 2021, after he spent five months in Berlin recovering from a nerve agent poisoning was marked by chaos and popular outrage, and it ended, almost predictably with his arrest. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

Jan. 22, 2021 01:01 AM EST
FILE - In this Dec. 24, 2011, file photo, from left, Russian former Financial Minister Alexei Kudrin, leaders of the opposition Boris Nemtsov and Alexei Navalny attend a rally to protest alleged vote rigging in Russia's parliamentary elections on Sakharov avenue in Moscow, Russia. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. He has outlasted many opposition figures and is undeterred by incessant attempts to stop his work. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 24, 2011, file photo, from left, Russian former Financial Minister Alexei Kudrin, leaders of the opposition Boris Nemtsov and Alexei Navalny attend a rally to protest alleged vote rigging in Russia's parliamentary elections on Sakharov avenue in Moscow, Russia. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. He has outlasted many opposition figures and is undeterred by incessant attempts to stop his work. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze, File)

Jan. 22, 2021 01:01 AM EST
FILE - In this Dec. 18, 2017, file photo, Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny prepares himself prior his interview with The Associated Press in Moscow, Russia. The return of Navalny on Jan. 17, 2021, from Germany after he spent five months in Berlin recovering from a nerve agent poisoning was marked by chaos and popular outrage, and it ended, almost predictably with his arrest. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 18, 2017, file photo, Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny prepares himself prior his interview with The Associated Press in Moscow, Russia. The return of Navalny on Jan. 17, 2021, from Germany after he spent five months in Berlin recovering from a nerve agent poisoning was marked by chaos and popular outrage, and it ended, almost predictably with his arrest. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

Jan. 22, 2021 01:01 AM EST
FILE - In this Oct. 22, 2020, file photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club via video conference at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia. Putin never calls Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny by name, and state-run media depict him as an unimportant blogger. (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 22, 2020, file photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club via video conference at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia. Putin never calls Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny by name, and state-run media depict him as an unimportant blogger. (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

Jan. 22, 2021 01:01 AM EST
FILE - This frame from video released by Navalny Life YouTube channel on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, shows a view of an estate overlooking Russia's Black Sea. Navalny's team posted the video expose alleging that the lavish “palace” was built for President Vladimir Putin through an elaborate corruption scheme. (Navalny Life YouTube channel via AP, File)

FILE - This frame from video released by Navalny Life YouTube channel on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, shows a view of an estate overlooking Russia's Black Sea. Navalny's team posted the video expose alleging that the lavish “palace” was built for President Vladimir Putin through an elaborate corruption scheme. (Navalny Life YouTube channel via AP, File)

Jan. 22, 2021 01:01 AM EST
FILE - In this March 17, 2010, file photo, corporate Russian lawyer Alexei Navalny poses in his office in Moscow, Russia. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. He has outlasted many opposition figures and is undeterred by incessant attempts to stop his work. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

FILE - In this March 17, 2010, file photo, corporate Russian lawyer Alexei Navalny poses in his office in Moscow, Russia. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. He has outlasted many opposition figures and is undeterred by incessant attempts to stop his work. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

Jan. 22, 2021 01:01 AM EST
FILE - In this Jan. 17, 2021, file photo, Alexei Navalny is surrounded by journalists inside the plane prior to his flight to Moscow in the Airport Berlin Brandenburg (BER) in Schoenefeld, near Berlin, Germany. The return of Navalny from Germany after he spent five months in Berlin recovering from a nerve agent poisoning was marked by chaos and popular outrage, and it ended, almost predictably with his arrest. The Jan. 17 flight carried him and his wife, along with a group of journalists documenting the journey. (AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 17, 2021, file photo, Alexei Navalny is surrounded by journalists inside the plane prior to his flight to Moscow in the Airport Berlin Brandenburg (BER) in Schoenefeld, near Berlin, Germany. The return of Navalny from Germany after he spent five months in Berlin recovering from a nerve agent poisoning was marked by chaos and popular outrage, and it ended, almost predictably with his arrest. The Jan. 17 flight carried him and his wife, along with a group of journalists documenting the journey. (AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov, File)

Jan. 22, 2021 01:01 AM EST
FILE - In this July 10, 2013, file photo, police officers detain Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, center, in Moscow, Russia. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. He has outlasted many opposition figures and is undeterred by incessant attempts to stop his work. (AP Photo/Evgeny Feldman, File)

FILE - In this July 10, 2013, file photo, police officers detain Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, center, in Moscow, Russia. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. He has outlasted many opposition figures and is undeterred by incessant attempts to stop his work. (AP Photo/Evgeny Feldman, File)

Jan. 22, 2021 01:01 AM EST
FILE - In this April 27, 2017, file photo, Yulia, wife of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny treats him after unknown attackers doused him with green antiseptic outside a conference venue in Moscow, Russia. The return of Navalny on Jan. 17, 2021, from Germany after he spent five months in Berlin recovering from a nerve agent poisoning was marked by chaos and popular outrage, and it ended, almost predictably with his arrest. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. (AP Photo/Evgeny Feldman, File)

FILE - In this April 27, 2017, file photo, Yulia, wife of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny treats him after unknown attackers doused him with green antiseptic outside a conference venue in Moscow, Russia. The return of Navalny on Jan. 17, 2021, from Germany after he spent five months in Berlin recovering from a nerve agent poisoning was marked by chaos and popular outrage, and it ended, almost predictably with his arrest. Navalny is an anti-corruption campaigner and the Kremlin’s fiercest critic. (AP Photo/Evgeny Feldman, File)

Jan. 22, 2021 01:01 AM EST
FILE - In this frame from video released on Dec. 31, 2020 by Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny on his Instagram account, Navalny, foreground right, his wife Yulia, foreground left, his daughter Daria, right, and son Zakhar pose for a selfie. The return of Navalny from Germany on Jan. 17, 2021, after he spent five months in Berlin recovering from a nerve agent poisoning was marked by chaos and popular outrage, and it ended, almost predictably with his arrest. The flight carried him and his wife, along with a group of journalists documenting the journey. (Navalny Instagram account via AP, File)

FILE - In this frame from video released on Dec. 31, 2020 by Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny on his Instagram account, Navalny, foreground right, his wife Yulia, foreground left, his daughter Daria, right, and son Zakhar pose for a selfie. The return of Navalny from Germany on Jan. 17, 2021, after he spent five months in Berlin recovering from a nerve agent poisoning was marked by chaos and popular outrage, and it ended, almost predictably with his arrest. The flight carried him and his wife, along with a group of journalists documenting the journey. (Navalny Instagram account via AP, File)

Jan. 22, 2021 01:01 AM EST