Alexei Navalny practically predicted this. Russia’s foremost opposition leader and fierce critic of Vladimir Putin, who was serving a 19-year prison sentence on a range of charges he called politically motivated, said in a 2022 documentary that “if they decide to kill me, it means that we are incredibly strong”.
The death of Mr Navalny, aged 47, at an Arctic penal colony, is both shocking yet grimly predictable. From journalists to politicians, those brave enough to publicly oppose the power or corruption of the Russian state frequently find themselves mysteriously sick or dead. Mr Navalny had already survived an attempt on his life, when he was poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok in 2020.
Today, the UK Government is, alongside allies, considering its response. Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has indicated there could be additional sanctions placed against Russian officials, with Moscow unable to clarify how Mr Navalny died. This travesty comes a week before the world is set to mark the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The death of Mr Navalny, the illegal and imperialist campaign in Ukraine — these are outrages that Europe and the world must stand up to. The alternative is an emboldened Putin on our doorstep.
Fashion capital
London Fashion Week turns 40 and has no intention of slowing down, still dedicated as ever to shining a light on the talent, diversity and creativity of the capital. But it isn’t just about the designs, catwalks and parties.
The British Fashion Council opened the London Stock Exchange last week to underline the major impact of the creative industries on the UK economy. The British fashion industry alone generated nearly £30 billion in gross value added and was directly responsible for more than 800,000 jobs. The Chancellor should be happy, too, with the sector directly producing tax revenues worth £21 billion.
London is, naturally, at the heart of it all. One of the four fashion capitals of the world — alongside New York, Paris and Milan — it is renowned not only for its big names, but sheer breadth of talent. This week is merely a shop window for the show that runs 365 days a year.
London’s most stylish
Did you make the list? As London Fashion Week reaches its climax, the Standard’s fashion supremos Victoria Moss and Joe Bromley have rounded up the capital’s most stylish inhabitants for the ultimate top-40 best dressed. And 20 of the least. Taste is, of course, subjective. Still, the skinny ties plus skinny jeans combination of one contender was simply too much for our judges to bear.
