Allies and family of the late Russian dissident have vowed to continue his anti-Putin campaigning despite intimidation and threats.
Leonid Volkov, a top ally and strategist of Alexey Navalny, has reportedly been assaulted near his home in Vilnus.
According to Navalny spokeswoman Kira Yarmish, an assailant smashed through a window of Volkov’s car and sprayed tear gas into his eyes before hitting him with a hammer.
Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania’s Foreign Minister, called the attack “shocking” on X.
The attack in Vilnus comes nearly a month after Navalny was pronounced dead in a remote Artic penal colony.
The fierce critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin was there serving a 19-year prison term on charges of extremism. The cause of his death has been widely contested, with opposition figures and many international leaders blaming the Kremlin.
Putin and his government have denied any involvement.
Volkov was previously in charge of Navalny’s regional offices and election campaigns when Navalny ran for mayor of Moscow in 2013. He left Russia several years ago under increasing pressure.
He also launched a project called “Navalny’s Campaigning Machine” aiming to talk to as many Russians as possible in order to turn them against Putin for the upcoming presidential election.