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

Despite being sentenced to 2 years in jail for his or her activism, the group continued to talk out in opposition to the Kremlin leader, with Ms Alyokhina remaining determined to combat Mr Putin's system.

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After being launched from prison, she continued her activism and arrange a information outlet focused on crime and punishment in Russia, called Mediazona, with another member of the band.

In April, Russian authorities placed her under home arrest as they tried to stop those in the nation who opposed their invasion of Ukraine.

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

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

She was then in a position to cross into Lithuania after seeking 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 told The New York Times: "I used to be comfortable that I made it, as a result of it was an unpredictable and large kiss-off to the Russian authorities.

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

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Ms Alyokhina added: "I do not assume Russia has a proper to exist anymore.

"Even earlier than, there were questions on how it's united, by what values it's united, and the place it is going. However now I don't assume that is a query anymore."

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