Russian dissident and supporter of Ukraine Nina Litvinova committed suicide in Moscow

Soviet dissident and human rights activist Nina Litvinova has died in Moscow. 

Journalist Masha Slonim, who is Litvinova’s cousin, posted an excerpt from her suicide note on Facebook. 

In it, Litvinova spoke out sharply against the war against Ukraine.

“Putin has attacked Ukraine and is killing innocent people, while here he is endlessly imprisoning thousands of people who are suffering and dying there because, like me, they are against the war and against killing,” the note reads.

Slonim noted that the document also contained a personal section addressed to family and friends. Explaining the decision to publish the excerpt, she wrote: “We decided to reveal the real reasons: Putin killed her!”

The human rights organization “Memorial” published an obituary in which Litvinova was described as a participant in the dissident movement who had spent decades supporting political prisoners.

The text notes that she participated in the trials of historian Yuri Dmitriev, attended hearings in the cases of Oleg Orlov and Zhenya Berkovich, and also helped other political prisoners.

“She was always there where the pain was greatest,” the obituary reads.

Russian state agencies, commenting on Litvinova’s death, mentioned only her family ties to Soviet politician Maxim Litvinov and her professional work at the Institute of Oceanology, without mentioning her human rights activism.