Pussy Riot band member Maria Alyokhina escapes Russia dressed as food courier after criticising Putin | World Information

Political activist and member of the Russian band Pussy Riot has reportedly fled the country disguised as a food courier after criticising Vladimir Putin.

Maria Alyokhina and her fellow band members first came to the eye of the Russian authorities after staging a protest in opposition to the Russian president inside Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral in 2012.

Regardless of being sentenced to two years in prison for his or her activism, the group continued to speak out towards the Kremlin chief, with Ms Alyokhina remaining determined to struggle Mr Putin's system.

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After being launched from jail, she continued her activism and set up a information outlet targeted on crime and punishment in Russia, known as Mediazona, with another member of the band.

In April, Russian authorities positioned her below home arrest as they tried to stop those in the country who opposed their invasion of Ukraine.

The 33-year-old was then ordered to spend 21 days in a penal colony.

Nevertheless, the band leader managed to evade the Moscow police by disguising herself as a meals courier and leaving her telephone behind as a decoy.

She was then able to cross into Lithuania after searching for the assistance of an artist from Iceland, who secured her travel documents.

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Evaluating her story to a "spy novel", Ms Alyokhina advised The New York Occasions: "I was happy that I made it, because it was an unpredictable and massive kiss-off to the Russian authorities.

"I nonetheless don't understand completely what I've carried out."

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Ms Alyokhina added: "I don't suppose Russia has a proper to exist anymore.

"Even earlier than, there have been questions about how it's united, by what values it is united, and where it's going. However now I don't suppose that may be a question anymore."

In 2019, fellow bandmate Nadya Tolokonikova spoke to Sky Information about her time in a prison camp and protests going down in Russia.