Pussy Riot band member Maria Alyokhina escapes Russia dressed as meals 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 eye 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 jail for their activism, the group continued to speak out against the Kremlin leader, 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 news outlet focused on crime and punishment in Russia, known as Mediazona, with another member of the band.

In April, Russian authorities positioned her underneath house arrest as they tried to stop those within 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 cellphone behind as a decoy.

She was then able to cross into Lithuania after in search of the help of an artist from Iceland, who secured her journey paperwork.

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

"I still do not perceive completely what I've accomplished."

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

"Even earlier than, there have been questions about how it's united, by what values it's united, and the place it is going. However now I don't think that could be a question anymore."

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