Pussy Riot band member Maria Alyokhina escapes Russia dressed as food courier after criticising Putin | World Information

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 towards the Russian president inside Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral in 2012.

Regardless of being sentenced to two years in jail for their activism, the group continued to talk out in opposition to the Kremlin chief, with Ms Alyokhina remaining determined to fight Mr Putin's system.

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

In April, Russian authorities positioned her beneath house arrest as they tried to stop 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.

Nevertheless, 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 assistance of an artist from Iceland, who secured her travel paperwork.

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Evaluating her story to a "spy novel", Ms Alyokhina informed The New York Instances: "I was completely satisfied that I made it, as a result of it was an unpredictable and big kiss-off to the Russian authorities.

"I still do not understand completely what I've carried out."

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

"Even earlier than, there were questions about how it is united, by what values it's united, and where it is going. However now I do not think 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.