Ukraine bar: EU plan: Frozen Russian funds should help Ukraine +++ Finland opens two border crossings to Russia

According to his spokeswoman, the loss of contact with imprisoned Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny may be due to efforts by the Russian leadership to intensify the isolation of the 47-year-old Navalny ahead of the Russian presidential elections.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is running for a fifth term in office. He is certain to win the elections given Putin’s extensive control over the country’s political system. Prominent critics like Navalny who could challenge him are either in prison or in exile. Most independent media outlets have been banned.

Navalny’s spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said that allies and lawyers had not had any contact with the detained opposition leader for a week. The penal colony where he was staying announced that he was no longer a prisoner there. Prison officials said Navalny, who was serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges, had been transferred.

They did not say where he was taken. Prisoner transfers in Russia are often shrouded in secrecy. In many cases, authorities do not release information about the whereabouts of those affected for weeks before they arrive at another facility and are given permission to contact their relatives or lawyers.

“Now you have to look for Navalny in every specialized penal colony,” Yarmysh said. There are more than 30 eligible facilities in the country. “So we have no idea which one we’ll find.” Yarmysh indicated that Navalny’s whereabouts will remain a secret for as long as possible after Putin announces his re-nomination for another six-year term.

Given the March 17 election, Yarmysh said she believes Navalny should be removed so he can no longer exert his influence. Everyone understands that Navalny is Putin’s main rival, even if he is not on the ballot. In response to a question about Navalny’s whereabouts, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today: “We have neither the desire nor the ability to track down the prisoners.”