Baryshnikov honors ‘insanely brave’ Putin opponent Navalny

Ballet dancer, choreographer and actor Mikhail Baryshnikov, who famously defected from the Soviet Union nearly a half century ago, called Alexei Navalny “insanely brave” as a human rights group awarded the jailed Russian opposition leader its annual prize.

The New York-based Train Foundation gave its 2022 “Civil Courage Prize” to Navalny in absentia, in a ceremony at New York University on Monday night.

Baryshnikov, 74, who is also active on human rights in the region, said Navalny’s mission is to “champion a more democratic vision for Russia.” He said Navalny is “insanely brave” for fighting “another brutal authoritarian Russia.”

Baryshnikov defected to Canada in 1974 while on a tour with the Soviet state ballet and moved to the United States a year later.

The Train Foundation cited Navalny’s “groundbreaking work for freedom and transparency in Russia” in presenting the award, which two colleagues accepted on his behalf. His chief of