Alexey Navalny’s team is struggling to find a venue to hold a farewell ceremony for the Russian opposition leader, with one funeral venue saying they were prohibited from working with them, his spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, revealed on Tuesday.

“Since [Monday] we have been looking for a venue where we can say goodbye to Alexey,” Yarmysh wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “We called most private and public funeral agencies, commercial sites and funeral halls.”

According to Yarmysh, despite efforts, most agencies and sites contacted have either claimed the space is occupied or refused them as soon as Navalny's name is mentioned, in one instance citing a direct prohibition on working with Navalny's team.

“In one place we were directly told that funeral agencies were prohibited from working with us,” she explained, adding, “After a day of searching, no venue has been secured.”

On Monday, Yarmysh announced plans for a public farewell ceremony for Navalny at the end of the work week, urging those with suitable premises to reach out to the team.