Navalny has condemned the ruling United Russia party as composed of “crooks and thieves”

Moscow (dpa) – Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has harshly condemned the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin as he seeks to succeed him. Navalny, who intends to run for president in next year’s election, was convicted on corruption charges last month in a ruling that will likely prevent him from getting on the ballot. His…

A court in Russia sentenced opposition leader and anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny on Monday to 15 days in jail for resisting police, and fined him 20,000 roubles, about $350, for organizing what authorities said was an illegal, mass protest in Moscow. Navalny rejected official claims that the demonstration Sunday afternoon, part of the biggest unsanctioned anti-government…