Liliya Chanysheva, who once led the headquarters of the late Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny in Ufa, spoke out on Tuesday for the first time after her release in the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and the West since the Cold War.
"Throughout these two years and nine months, you defended me, fought for my release, covered my case, wrote me letters, sent packages — you worried and supported me in every way you could. I am immensely grateful to all of you for this and for being there," she said on Telegram.
In June 2023, Chanysheva was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for "calling for extremism" and participating in "an extremist community" due to her work with Navalny.
Her sentence was later increased to nine and a half years after the Prosecutor General's Office deemed the original sentence "too lenient."
Many of those included in the prisoner swap were individuals who had spoken out against the war in Ukraine or had worked with Navalny, including Ksenia Fadeyeva and Vadim Ostanin, who headed two of his regional campaign offices.
Navalny himself was initially supposed to be part of the exchange, but he died suddenly in his Arctic penal colony in February.
Chanysheva also called for the release of those still imprisoned in Russia on political grounds.
"Hundreds of political prisoners remain in Russian prisons, and not all of them are publicly known. I ask you to remember them, help them, and demand their release," she said.
Despite her ordeal, Chanysheva reaffirmed her commitment to fighting for Russia's future.
"I love Russia and believe that together we will make its future wonderful," she added.
