If he was so unpopular, then why did Putin try to assassinate him, then imprison him on fabricated charges with no intent to ever release him? Why couldn’t he just defeat him in a fair election and then ignore him?

• https://www.state.gov/second-anniversary-of-the-poisoning-of-aleksey-navalny/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoning_of_Alexei_Navalny#:~:text=Traces of the Novichok nerve,other undisclosed object(s).
• https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/kremlin-critic-alexei-navalny-says-he-has-received-new-criminal-charges-2023-12-01/
• https://www.state.gov/conviction-and-sentencing-of-aleksey-navalny-on-additional-politically-motivated-charges/
• https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/04/europe/navalny-extremism-trial-verdict-russia-intl/index.html