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

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 attention of the Russian authorities after staging a protest towards the Russian president inside Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral in 2012.

Despite being sentenced to two years in jail for his or her activism, the group continued to talk out against the Kremlin leader, with Ms Alyokhina remaining determined to battle Mr Putin's system.

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After being launched from jail, she continued her activism and arrange a news outlet targeted on crime and punishment in Russia, referred to as Mediazona, with another member of the band.

In April, Russian authorities placed her underneath house arrest as they tried to cease these within the country who opposed their invasion of Ukraine.

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

Nonetheless, the band leader managed to evade the Moscow police by disguising herself as a food courier and leaving her cellphone behind as a decoy.

She was then able to cross into Lithuania after searching for the help of an artist from Iceland, who secured her journey paperwork.

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

"I nonetheless don't perceive utterly what I've performed."

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

"Even earlier than, there have been questions on how it is united, by what values it's united, and the place it's going. However now I do not suppose that could be a query anymore."

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