A lack of surprise over Alexei Navalny's death.

The 47-year-old Russian opposition leader died at the weekend, after collapsing following a walk in his Arctic prison.

In the wake of the announcement of his death, more than 400 people have been arrested across Russia, as local police crackdown on memorials across 36 cities.

Auckland University international relations expert Stephen Hoadley told Mike Hosking the past two decades under Vladimir Putin show some stark reading.

He says there have been 14 assassinations of political opponents, various exiles, and more than 600 opponents have been imprisoned.

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