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 nation disguised as a meals 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 against the Russian president inside Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral in 2012.

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

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

In April, Russian authorities placed her underneath home arrest as they tried to stop these in the country 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 telephone 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 travel documents.

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

"I still do not understand fully what I've accomplished."

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

"Even before, there have been questions about how it is united, by what values it is united, and the place it is going. However now I do not assume that could be a query anymore."

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