Polish authorities have detained two people suspected of violently attacking Leonid Volkov, an exiled ally of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
“Navalny aide Leonid Volkov was brutally attacked in Vilnius. Today, I am glad to announce that suspects have been detained in Poland,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda announced Friday.
“Thank you to Andrzej Duda, Polish and Lithuanian law enforcement. Together we warn the organizers of the crime: do not try to repeat it,” Nausėda added.
Volkov was beaten outside his home in Vilnius in March, with his colleagues saying he had tear gas sprayed in his eyes and was beaten with a hammer.
“They broke the window in his car and sprayed tear gas in his eyes, after which the attacker began to beat Leonid with a hammer,” wrote Kira Yarmysh, another member of the Navalny team. Navalny, a longtime thorn in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s flesh, died at age 47 in an Arctic prison in February.
On Friday morning, Volkov said: “I don’t know any other details yet, but I can say: I have seen how energetically and persistently the Lithuanian police have worked over the past month on this case, and I am very glad that this work has been effective.”
Lithuania’s counter-intelligence had accused Russian special services of being behind the attack.