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 food 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 his or her activism, the group continued to speak out towards 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 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 those in 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 meals courier and leaving her cellphone behind as a decoy.

She was then able to cross into Lithuania after looking for 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 told The New York Times: "I was comfortable that I made it, because it was an unpredictable and big kiss-off to the Russian authorities.

"I nonetheless don't perceive fully what I've finished."

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

"Even before, there have been questions on how it's united, by what values it is united, and where it's going. However now I do not think that may be a question anymore."

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