Meet Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin's enemy No-1

Alexei Navalny is the man who many claim is Vladimir Putin's enemy No-1. In a country where dissent is not an option, Navalny has often been the face of Russian opposition.

In 2013, when Navalny was eyeing the office of Moscow's mayor he described himself as a "democratic nationalist". He came second in the election, but the message was sent.

Navalny has been arrested multiple times over alleged embezzlement charges, and he was sentenced to five years in jail in one of them, however, both the cases have been questioned for the shoddy approach on the part of the authorities.

Then came 2016 which many thought was Navalny's moment. He decided to launch a presidential bid for 2018 but the dream was short-lived as the country's election authorities barred him from contesting.

Navalny has never shied away from calling a spade, a spade. Once on a prominent radio show, Navalny openly called Russia's ruling United Russia party, a group of crooks and thieves.

He also founded the anti-corruption foundation which digs into graft charges against the Kremlin. Navalny's resume is filled with anti-Kremlin rhetoric and accusations against Putin and so it comes as no surprise that the word "poisoning" has been thrown around post his hospitalisation.