The Curious Timing and Consequences of Alexei Navalny's Death - William Spaniel

[TexasTowelie]

On February 16, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died suddenly in an Arctic prison. This video dissects its strange timing. Although much of the media coverage has speculated that this was a warning to other opposition elements, such theories fundamentally misunderstand the risks entailed when autocrats run elections. Instead, the timing is strange because it risks creating a new rallying cry for those looking to protest against the Kremlin. It also created an unfavorable news cycle in the West, as it buried headlines regarding Ukraine's withdrawal from Avdiivka.

0:00 Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny Dies
1:23 Deterrence in Autocratic Elections
4:46 Coordinated Protests and Autocratic Elections
7:16 The Kremlin's Poor News Cycle Timing