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 attention 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 their activism, the group continued to speak out against the Kremlin chief, with Ms Alyokhina remaining decided to combat Mr Putin's system.

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After being launched from prison, she continued her activism and set up a information outlet targeted on crime and punishment in Russia, referred to as Mediazona, with another member of the band.

In April, Russian authorities positioned her underneath house arrest as they tried to cease these within the country who opposed their invasion of Ukraine.

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

Nonetheless, the band chief managed to evade the Moscow police by disguising herself as a food courier and leaving her telephone behind as a decoy.

She was then in a position to cross into Lithuania after seeking the assistance of an artist from Iceland, who secured her journey paperwork.

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Comparing her story to a "spy novel", Ms Alyokhina told The New York Times: "I was pleased that I made it, because it was an unpredictable and big kiss-off to the Russian authorities.

"I still don't perceive utterly what I've carried out."

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Ms Alyokhina added: "I do not think Russia has a right to exist anymore.

"Even earlier than, there have been questions about how it is united, by what values it is united, and where it's going. However now I don't suppose that may be a query anymore."

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