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 meals 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 in opposition to the Kremlin chief, with Ms Alyokhina remaining determined to combat Mr Putin's system.

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After being released from prison, she continued her activism and arrange a news outlet focused on crime and punishment in Russia, known as Mediazona, with one other member of the band.

In April, Russian authorities positioned her beneath 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 chief managed to evade the Moscow police by disguising herself as a meals courier and leaving her cellphone behind as a decoy.

She was then in a position to cross into Lithuania after looking for the help 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 used to be pleased 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 completely what I've performed."

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

"Even before, there have been questions on how it is united, by what values it's united, and the place it's going. But now I do not think that could be 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.